The Spiritual Master

The Absolute Necessity of Accepting a Spiritual Master tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 4.34 brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. By the mercy of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 19.151 tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet samit-päëiù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham “In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Truth.” Muëdaka Upaniñad 1.2.12 yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau tasyaite kathitä hy arthäù prakäçante mahätmanaù “Only unto those great souls who simultaneously have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” Svetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.23 [cited: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.7.17] oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù ‘’I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who, with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.” Gautaméya-tantra [Cited: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.1.11] 11

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sarva-deça-käla-daçäya janera kartavya guru-päçe sei bhakti prañöavya, çrotavya “It is therefore the duty of every man-in every country, in every circumstance and at all times-to accept the bona fide spiritual master, question him about devotional service and listen to him explain the process.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 25.122 dharmasya tattvaà nihitaà guhäyaà mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù “It is very difficult to understand the secret of Kåñëa consciousness, but one who advances by the instruction of the previous äcäryas and follows in the footsteps of his predecessors in the line of disciplic succession will have success.” Mahäbharata, Vana-parva 313.117 [cited: Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi 8.7] ato guruà praëamyaivaà sarva-svaà vinivedya ca gåhëéyäd vaiñëavaà mantraà dékñä-purvaà vidhänataù “It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything-body, mind and intelligence-one must take a Vaiñëava initiation from him.” Hari-bhakti-viläsa 2.10 [cited: Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 15.108] evam paramparä-präptam. . . “This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession... Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 4.2 täte kåñëa bhaje, kare gurura sevana mäyä-jäla chuöe, päya kåñëera caraëa “If the conditioned soul engages in the service of the Lord and simultaneously carries out the orders of his spiritual master and serves him, he can get out of the clutches of mäyä and become eligible for shelter at Kåñëa’s lotus feet.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 22.25 yathä käïcanatäà yäti käàsyaà rasa-vidhänataù tathä dékñä-vidhänena dvijatvaà jäyate nåëäm “As bell metal is turned to gold when mixed with mercury in an alchemical process, so one who is properly trained and initiated by a bona fide spiritual master immediately becomes a brähmaëa.” Hari-bhakti-viläsa [cited: Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.47] 12

The Qualifications of a Bona Fide Spiritual Master yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘kåñëa’-upadeça ämära äjïäya guru haïä tara’ ei deça “Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Çré Kåñëa as they are given in Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 7.128 kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya “Whether one is a brähmaëa, a sannyäsé or a çüdra-regardless of what he is-he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kåñëa.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.128 vaco vegaà manasaù krodha-vegaà jihvä-vegam udaropastha-vegam etän vegän yo viñaheta dhéraù sarvam apémäà påthivéà sa çiñyät “A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.” NOI Text 1 tasmäd guruà prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam çäbde pare ca niñëätaà brahmaëy upaçamäçrayam “Any person who seriously desires to achieve real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters.” Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.3.21 [cited: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.14.41] gurur na sa syät sva-jano na sa syät pitä na sa syäj janané na sä syät daivaà na tat syän na patiç ca sa syän na mocayed yaù samupeta-måtyum “One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.” Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.18 13

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Chapter I The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master 1. General Instructions The first five basic principles of devotional service involve acceptance of a bona fide spiritual master: [Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé] mentions the basic principles as follows: (1) accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, (2) becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to discharge devotional service from him, (3) obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion, (4) following in the footsteps of great äcäryas (teachers) under the direction of the spiritual master, (5) inquiring from the spiritual master how to advance in Kåñëa consciousness... The Nectar of Devotion The first five essential practices of devotional service involve establishing a relationship with a bona fide spiritual master: On the path of regulative devotional service, one must observe the following items: (1) one must accept a bona fide spiritual master. (2) Accept initiation from him. (3) Serve him. (4) Receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries in order to learn devotional service. (5) Follow in the footsteps of the previous äcäryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 22.115 It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master: Hari-bhakti-viläsa (2.10) quotes: ato guruà praëamyaivaà sarva-svaà vinivedya ca gåhnéyäd vaiñëavaà mantraà dékñä-purvaà vidhänataù “It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything-body, mind and intelligence-one must take a Vaiñëava initiation from him.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 15.108 Better than worship of the Lord is worship of the Lord’s devotee: In the Padma Puräëa, there is a nice statement praising the service of the Vaiñëavas or devotees. In that scripture Lord Çiva tells Pärvaté, “My dear Pärvaté, there are different methods of worship, and out of all such methods the worship of the Supreme Person is considered to be the highest. But even higher than the worship of the Lord is the worship of the Lord’s devotees.” The Nectar of Devotion

2. To Set an Example, Even the Lord (and His Incarnations, etc.) Accepts a Spiritual Master To set an example, even Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Lord Kåñëa accepted spiritual masters: One may ask that if Caitanya Mahäprabhu is Kåñëa Himself, then why did He need a spiritual master? Of course He did not need a spiritual master, but because He was playing the role of äcärya (one who teaches by example), He accepted a spiritual master. Even Kåñëa Himself accepted a spiritual master, for that is the system. In this way the Lord sets the example for men. We should not think, however, 14

The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master

that the Lord takes a spiritual master because He is in want of knowledge. He is simply stressing the importance of accepting the disciplic succession. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä Intro. To set an example, God Himself accepts a spiritual master: Although formally Çréla Närada Rñi is his spiritual master, Çréla Vyäsadeva is not at all dependent on a spiritual master because in essence he is the spiritual master of everyone else. But because he is doing the work of an äcärya, he has taught us by his own conduct that one must have a spiritual master, even though he be God Himself. Lord Çré Kåñëa, Lord Çré Räma and Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, all incarnations of Godhead, accepted formal spiritual masters, although by Their transcendental nature They were cognizant of all knowledge. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.5.21 To set an example for ordinary men, Kåñëa and Balaräma accepted a spiritual master and strictly followed the regulative principles of brahmacarya: Vasudeva had his son initiated by sacred thread as the token of second birth, which is essential for the higher castes of human society. Vasudeva called for his family priest and learned brähmaëas, and the sacred thread ceremony of Kåñëa and Balaräma was duly performed ... and They repeated the chanting of the Gäyatré mantra. The Gäyatré mantra is offered to the disciples after the sacred thread ceremony, and Balaräma and Kåñëa properly discharged the duties of chanting this mantra. Anyone who executes the chanting of this mantra has to abide by certain principles and vows. Although Balaräma and Kåñëa were both transcendental personalities, They strictly followed the regulative principles. Both were initiated by Their family priest Gargäcärya, usually known as Gargamuni, the äcärya of the Yadu dynasty. According to Vedic culture, every respectable person has an äcärya, or spiritual master. One is not considered to be a perfectly cultured man without being initiated and trained by an äcärya. It is said, therefore, that one who has approached an äcärya is actually in perfect knowledge. Lord Kåñëa and Balaräma were the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all education and knowledge. There was no need for Them to accept a spiritual master or äcärya, yet for the instruction of ordinary men, They also accepted a spiritual master for advancement in spiritual knowledge. It is customary, after being initiated in the Gäyatré mantra, for one to live away from home for some time under the care of the äcärya in order to be trained in spiritual life. During this period one has to work under the spiritual master as an ordinary menial servant. There are many rules and regulations for a brahmacäré living under the care of an äcärya, and both Lord Kåñëa and Balaräma strictly followed those regulative principles while living under the instruction of their spiritual master, Sändépani Muni, in his place in northern India. According to scriptural injunctions, a spiritual master should be respected and be regarded on an equal level with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Both Kåñëa and Balaräma exactly followed those principles with great devotion and underwent the regulations of brahmacarya, and thus They satisfied Their spiritual master, who instructed Them in Vedic knowledge. Being very satisfied, Sändépani Muni instructed Them in all the intricacies of Vedic wisdom as well as in supplementary literatures such as the Upanisads. ... The ocean is the source of water in a river. The cloud is created by the evaporation of ocean water, and the same water is distributed as rain all over the surface of the earth and then returns toward the ocean in rivers. So Kåñëa and Balaräma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are the source of all kinds of knowledge, but because They were playing like ordinary human boys, They set the example so that everyone would receive knowledge from the right source. Thus They agreed to take knowledge from a spiritual master. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead The absolute necessity of accepting a bona fide spiritual master: ... How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such [spot15

The Spiritual Master and the Disciple

less] devotees? PURPORT: There are many inexperienced persons who advocate self-realization without the help of a spiritual master. They decry the necessity of the spiritual master and try themselves to take his place by propagating the theory that a spiritual master is not necessary. Çrémad-Bhägavatam, however, does not approve this viewpoint. Even the great transcendental scholar Vyäsadeva had need of a spiritual master, and under the instruction of his spiritual master, Närada, he prepared this sublime literature, Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Even Lord Caitanya, although He is Kåñëa Himself, accepted a spiritual master; even Lord Kåñëa accepted a spiritual master, Sändépani Muni, in order to be enlightened; and all the äcäryas and saints of the world had spiritual masters. In Bhagavad-gétä Arjuna accepted Kåñëa as his spiritual master, although there was no question about the necessity of accepting a spiritual master. The only stipulation is that the spiritual master should be bona fide; i.e., the spiritual master must be in the proper chain of disciplic succession, called the paramparä system. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.7.39

3. One Approaches the Lord Through the Spiritual Master

(Service to the Lord Begins with Service to His Representative, the Spiritual Master) One can approach Kåñëa not directly, but through His pure devotee, by accepting such a pure devotee as spiritual master: In the Ädi-lélä Puräëa there is the following statement by Lord Kåñëa Himself, addressed to Arjuna: “My dear Pärtha, one who claims to be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee of My devotee is actually My devotee.” No one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly [Cc. Mad 13.80]. One must approach Him through His pure devotees. Therefore, in the system of Vaiñëava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him. The Nectar of Devotion One should approach Kåñëa not directly, but through a transparent via medium: The best way to establish our relation in transcendental sweetness is to approach [Lord Kåñëa] through His recognized devotees. One should not try to establish the relation directly; there must be a via medium which is transparent and competent to lead us to the right path. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.9.22 The spiritual master is the transparent via medium through which one can approach the Supreme Lord: My spiritual master used to say, “The spiritual master is the transparent via medium.” For example, I can see the letters of this book very nicely through these transparent eyeglasses, without which I cannot see because my eyes are defective. Similarly, our senses are all defective. We cannot see God with these eyes, we cannot hear Hare Kåñëa with these ears, we cannot do anything without the via medium of the spiritual master. Just as a defective eye cannot see without the via medium of spectacles, so one cannot approach the Supreme Lord without the transparent via medium of the spiritual master. “Transparent” means that the via medium must be free of contamination. If it is transparent, one can see through it. The Science of Self-Realization To become a servant of the Lord, one must become a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord by accepting a spiritual master in disciplic succession: [For devotional life] one must first become a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord (däsänudäsa). Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu advised, and He also showed by His own example, that a living entity should always desire to be a servant of the servant of the servant of Kåñëa, the maintainer of the 16

The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master

gopés (gopé-bhartuù pada-kamalayor däsadäsänudäsaù). This means that one must accept a spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession and is a servant of the servant of the Lord [Cc. Mad 13.80]. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.11.24 The disciple does not serve the Lord directly, but serves the spiritual master first: “My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Närada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?” PURPORT: As will be seen in later verses, even though Prahläda Mahäräja was directly offered all the benedictions he might have desired, he refused to accept such offerings from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On the contrary, he asked the Lord to engage him in the service of His servant Närada Muni. This is the symptom of a pure devotee. One should serve the spiritual master first. It is not that one should bypass the spiritual master and desire to serve the Supreme Lord. This is not the principle for a Vaiñëava. Narottama däsa Öhäkura says: täìdera caraëa sevi bhakta-sane väsa janame janame haya, ei abhiläsa One should not be anxious to offer direct service to the Lord. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu advised that one become a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord (gopé-bhartuù pada-kamalayor däsadäsänudäsaù [Cc. Mad 13.80]). This is the process for approaching the Supreme Lord. The first service should be rendered to the spiritual master so that by his mercy one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead to render service. While teaching Rüpa Gosvämé, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja: [Cc Mad 19.151] one can achieve the seed of devotional service by the mercy of the guru, the spiritual master, and then by the mercy of Kåñëa. This is the secret of success. First one should try to please the spiritual master, and then one should attempt to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura also says, yasya prasädäd bhagavatprasädaù. One should not attempt to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by concoction. One must first be prepared to serve the spiritual master, and when one is qualified he is automatically offered the platform of direct service to the Lord. Therefore Prahläda Mahäräja proposed that he engage in the service of Närada Muni. He never proposed that he engage directly in the service of the Lord. This is the right conclusion. Therefore he said, so ‘haà kathaà nu visåje tava bhåtya-seväm: “How can I give up the service of my spiritual master, who has favored me in such a way that I am now able to see You face to face?” Prahläda Mahäräja prayed to the Lord that he might continue to engage in the service of his spiritual master, Närada Muni. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.28 One can approach the Supreme Lord by approaching His representative: Sometimes there are inquiries as to how one can surrender unto the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavadgétä (18.66) the Lord asked Arjuna to surrender unto Him, and therefore persons unwilling to do so question where God is and to whom they should surrender. The answer to such questions or inquiries is given herein very properly. The Personality of Godhead may not be present before one’s eyes, but if one is sincere in wanting such guidance the Lord will send a bona fide person who can guide one properly back home, back to Godhead.... The bona fide representative of God is as good as God Himself. Or, in other words, the loving representative of the Lord is more kind and more easy to approach. A sinful soul cannot approach the Lord directly, but such a sinful man can very easily approach a pure devotee of the Lord. And if one agrees to put himself under the guidance of such a devotee of the Lord, he can also understand the science of God and can also become like the transcendental pure devotee of the Lord and thus get his liberation back to Godhead, back home for eternal happiness. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.7.46 17

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Service to the devotee (spiritual master) in disciplic succession is the first condition of devotional service: The person who has not at any time received the dust of the feet of the Lord’s pure devotee upon his head is certainly a dead body.... PURPORT: There is a common saying that one should first love the dog of the beloved before one shows any loving sentiments for the beloved. The stage of pure devotion is attained by sincerely serving a pure devotee of the Lord. The first condition of devotional service to the Lord is therefore to be a servant of a pure devotee, and this condition is fulfilled by the statement “reception of the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who has also served another pure devotee.” That is the way of pure disciplic succession, or devotional paramparä.... Lord Çré Kåñëa is the property of His pure unconditional devotees, and as such only the devotees can deliver Kåñëa to another devotee; Kåñëa is never obtainable directly.... The conclusion is, therefore, that one should be more serious about seeking the mercy of the devotee than that of the Lord directly, and by one’s doing so (by the good will of the devotee) the natural attraction for the service of the Lord will be revived. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.23 Service of the Lord begins with service of His servants: O Muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain maidservant engaged in the service of brähmaëas who were following the principles of Vedänta. When they were living together during the four months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service. PURPORT: From the personal example of Çré Närada Muni in his previous birth, it is clear that the service of the Lord begins with the service of the Lord’s bona fide servants. The Lord says that the service of His servants is greater than His personal service. Service of the devotees is more valuable than the service of the Lord. One should therefore choose a bona fide servant of the Lord constantly engaged in His service, accept such a servant as the spiritual master and engage himself in his (the spiritual master’s) service. Such a spiritual master is the transparent medium by which to visualize the Lord, who is beyond the conception of the material senses. By service of the bona fide spiritual master, the Lord consents to reveal Himself in proportion to the service rendered. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.5.23 Without the favor of the spiritual master, one cannot directly approach Kåñëa: “Although these two young men are the sons of the very rich Kuvera and I have nothing to do with them, Devarñi Närada is My very dear and affectionate devotee, and therefore because he wanted Me to come face to face with them, I must do so for their deliverance.” PURPORT: Because Närada Muni desired that Nalaküvara and Maëigréva see Väsudeva face to face, the Supreme Personality of Godhead wanted to fulfill the words of His very dear devotee Närada Muni. If one seeks the favor of a devotee instead of directly asking favors from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is very easily successful. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has therefore recommended: vaiñëava öhäkura, tomära kukkura, bhuliyä janaha more, kåsëa se tomära kåñëa dite pära. One should desire to become like a dog in strictly following a devotee. Kåñëa is in the hand of a devotee. Adurlabham ätmabhaktau. Thus without the favor of a devotee, one cannot directly approach Kåñëa, what to speak of engaging in His service. Narottama däsa Öhäkura therefore sings, chäòiyä vaiñëava-sevä nistära päyeche kebä: unless one becomes a servant of a pure devotee, one cannot be delivered from the material condition of life. In our Gauòéya Vaiñëava society, following in the footsteps of Rüpa Gosvämé, our first business is to seek shelter of a bona fide spiritual master (ädau gurv-äçrayaù). Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.10.25 One cannot be initiated directly by the Lord from within, but by the bona fide spiritual master: Brahmä was initiated by the Lord from within. The Lord is within every living entity as the Supersoul, and He initiated Brahmä because Brahmä was willing to receive the initiation. The Lord can similarly 18

The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master

initiate everyone who is inclined to have it.... One should not, however, think himself on the level of Brahmä to be initiated directly by the Lord from inside because in the present age no one can be accepted to be as pure as Brahmä. The post of Brahmä to officiate in the creation of the universe is offered to the most pure living being, and unless one is so qualified one cannot expect to be treated like Brahmäjé directly. But one can have the same facility through unalloyed devotees of the Lord, through scriptural instructions (as revealed in the Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam especially), and also through the bona fide spiritual master available to the sincere soul. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.7 To serve Kåñëa favorably, one has to find out what He wants, from the spiritual master: Caitanya Mahäprabhu recommends pure devotional service. There should be no desire to fulfill one’s own material desires, there should be no attempt to understand Kåñëa by experimental philosophy, and there should be no fruitive activities to derive material benefits from Kåñëa. The only desire should be to serve Him favorably, as He desires. If Kåñëa wants something, then we should do it.... One has to understand what Kåñëa wants. When there is that intimate relationship, then one can serve Kåñëa most favorably. And as long as there is not that intimate relationship, one must take information of what Kåñëa wants through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. The Science of Self-Realization Following the instructions of a devotee is more valuable than directly following the instructions of the Lord: Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura says, chäòiyä vaiñëava-sevä nistära päyeche kebä: without being a devotee of a devotee, one cannot be released from material entanglement. Therefore Caitanya Mahäprabhu identified Himself as gopé-bhartuù pada-kamalayor däsa-däsänudäsaù [Cc. Mad 13.80]. Thus He instructed us to become not directly servants of Kåñëa but servants of the servant of Kåñëa. Devotees like Brahmä, Närada, Vyäsadeva and Çukadeva Gosvämé are directly servants of Kåñëa, and one who becomes a servant of Närada, Vyäsadeva and Çukadeva, like the six Gosvämés, is still more devoted. Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura therefore says, yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù: if one very sincerely serves the spiritual master, Kåñëa certainly becomes favorable to such a devotee. Following the instructions of a devotee is more valuable than following the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.4.63 The devotee is engaged in the intimate service of the Lord through the agency of the spiritual master: The Lord reveals His identity gradually to one who has unflinching faith, both in the spiritual master and in the Lord. After this, the devotee is endowed with mystic opulences, which are eight in number. And above all, the devotee is accepted in the confidential entourage of the Lord and is entrusted with specific service of the Lord through the agency of the spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.5.39

4. One Can Understand the Lord Only Through the Spiritual Master One can understand Kåñëa only by the direction of a spiritual master: One who has unflinching devotion for the Supreme Lord and is directed by the spiritual master can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by revelation. For one who does not take personal training under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, it is impossible to even begin to understand Kåñëa. The word tu is specifically used here to indicate that no other process can be used, can be recommended, or can be successful in understanding Kåñëa. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 11.54 One can understand Kåñëa through the spiritual master (although the experience is direct): 19

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By the mercy of Vyäsa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Kåñëa, who was speaking personally to Arjuna. PURPORT: Vyäsa was the spiritual master of Saïjaya, and Saïjaya admits that it was by his mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Kåñëa not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium, although it is true that the experience is direct. This is the mystery of disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona fide, then one can hear Bhagavad-gétä directly, as Arjuna heard it. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 18.75 Unless enlightened by a spiritual master, one cannot see Kåñëa, or see things as they are: One must see things as they are through the mercy of a spiritual master; otherwise if one tries to see Kåñëa directly, he may mistake an ordinary man for Kåñëa or Kåñëa for an ordinary man. Everyone has to see Kåñëa according to the verdict of Vedic literatures presented by the self-realized spiritual master. A sincere person is able to see Kåñëa through the transparent medium of Çré Gurudeva, the spiritual master. Unless one is enlightened by the knowledge given by the spiritual master, he cannot see things as they are, even though he remains constantly with the spiritual master. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 18.99 By the grace of a bona fide spiritual master, one can understand the Lord: Furthermore, after leaving all his associates, the King surrendered himself as a disciple to the son of Vyäsa [Çukadeva Gosvämé], and thus he was able to understand the actual position of the Personality of Godhead. PURPORT: The word ajita is significant here. The Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, is known as Ajita, or unconquerable, and He is so in every respect. No one can know His actual position. He is unconquerable by knowledge also. We have heard about His dhäma, or place, eternal Goloka Våndävana, but there are many scholars who interpret this abode in different ways. But by the grace of a spiritual master like Çukadeva Gosvämé, unto whom the King gave himself up as a most humble disciple, one is able to understand the actual position of the Lord, His eternal abode, and His transcendental paraphernalia in that dhäma, or abode. Knowing the transcendental position of the Lord and the transcendental method by which one can approach that transcendental dhäma, the King was confident about his ultimate destination, and by knowing this he could leave aside everything material, even his own body, without any difficulty of attachment. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is stated, paraà dåñövä nivartate: [2.59] one can give up all connection with material attachment when one is able to see the param, or the superior quality of things. From Bhagavad-gétä we understand the quality of the Lord’s energy that is superior to the material quality of energy, and by the grace of a bona fide spiritual master like Çukadeva Gosvämé, it is quite possible to know everything of the superior energy of the Lord by which the Lord manifests His eternal name, quality, pastimes, paraphernalia and variegatedness. Unless one thoroughly understands this superior or eternal energy of the Lord, it is not possible to leave the material energy, however one may theoretically speculate on the true nature of the Absolute Truth. By the grace of Lord Kåñëa, Maharäja Parékñit was able to receive the mercy of such a personality as Çukadeva Gosvämé, and thus he was able to know the actual position of the unconquerable Lord. It is very difficult to find the Lord from the Vedic literatures, but it is very easy to know Him by the mercy of a liberated devotee like Sukadeva Gosvämé. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.18.3 One can see the Lord not by mental speculation but through the transparent medium of the bona fide spiritual master: As stated in the Brahma-saàhitä, the mental speculators, even by dint of learned scholarship, cannot even dream of the Absolute Truth by speculating over it for eternity. The Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to such mental speculators. And because they cannot enter into the network of the stem 20

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of the lotus feet of the Lord, all mental speculators differ in conclusions, and at the end they make a useless compromise by saying “as many conclusions, as many ways,” according to one’s own inclination (yathä-rucam). But the Lord is not like a shopkeeper trying to please all sorts of customers in the mental speculator exchange. The Lord is what He is, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, and He demands absolute surrender unto Him only. The pure devotee, however, by following the ways of previous äcäryas, or authorities, can see the Supreme Lord through the transparent medium of a bona fide spiritual master (anupaçyanti). The pure devotee never tries to see the Lord by mental speculation, but by following in the footsteps of the äcäryas (mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù [Cc Mad 17.186]). Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.4.21 To understand Kåñëa, one must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master: Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiñëava completely freed from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by becoming Kåñëa conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material contamination. PURPORT: One may ask why highly educated persons do not take to Kåñëa consciousness. The reason is explained in this verse. Unless one takes shelter of a bona fide, fully Kåñëa conscious spiritual master, there is no chance of understanding Kåñëa. The educators, scholars and big political leaders worshiped by millions of people cannot understand the goal of life and take to Kåñëa consciousness, for they have not accepted a bona fide spiritual master and the Vedas. Therefore in the Muëòaka Upaniñad (3.2.3) it is said, näyam ätmä pravacanena labhyo/ na medhayä na bahunä çrutena: one cannot become self-realized simply by having an academic education, by presenting lectures in an erudite way (pravacanena labhyaù), or by being an intelligent scientist who discovers many wonderful things. One cannot understand Kåñëa unless one is graced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only one who has surrendered to a pure devotee of Kåñëa and taken the dust of his lotus feet can understand Kåñëa. First one must understand how to get out of the clutches of mäyä. The only means is to become Kåñëa conscious. And to become Kåñëa conscious very easily, one must take shelter of a realized soul—a mahat, or mahätmä—whose only interest is to engage in the service of the Supreme Lord.... One must take shelter of a self-realized spiritual master, not a materially educated scholar or politician. One must take shelter of a niñkiïcana, a person engaged in devotional service and free from material contamination. That is the way to return home, back to Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.32 One who engages in devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master in disciplic succession becomes qualified to see the Lord face to face: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Anantadeva, replied as follows: O King, as a result of your having accepted the instructions spoken about Me by the great sages Närada and Aìgirä, you have become completely aware of transcendental knowledge. Because you are now educated in the spiritual science, you have seen Me face to face. Therefore you are now completely perfect. PURPORT: The perfection of life is to be spiritually educated and to understand the existence of the Lord and how He creates, maintains and annihilates the cosmic manifestation. When one is perfect in knowledge, he can develop his love of Godhead through the association of such perfect persons as Närada and Aìgirä and the members of their disciplic succession. Then one is able to see the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Although the Lord is unlimited, by His causeless mercy He becomes visible to the devotee, who is then able to see Him.... If one takes to spiritual life under the direction of Närada Muni or his representative and thus engages himself in the service of the Lord, he qualifies himself to see the Lord face to face.... One must follow the instructions of the spiritual master. Thus one becomes qualified and later sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.16.50 21

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By engaging in devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one comes to see the Lord face to face: The science of devotional service has been instructed by Närada and Aìgirä to Citraketu. Now, because of Citraketu’s devotional service, he has seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By performing devotional service, one advances step by step, and when one is on the platform of love of Godhead (premä pum-artho mahän) he sees the Supreme Lord at every moment. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä, when one engages in devotional service twenty-four hours a day (teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà prétipürvakam [Bg. 10.10]) in accordance with the instructions of the spiritual master, his devotional service becomes more and more pleasing. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is within the core of everyone’s heart, speaks to the devotee (dadämi buddhi-yogaà taà yena mäm upayänti te). Citraketu Mahäräja was first instructed by his gurus, Aìgirä and Närada, and now, having followed their instructions, he has come to the stage of seeing the Supreme Lord face to face. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.16.51 To understand God, one must approach a guru: Mr. O’Grady: Is it possible to arrive at this understanding of God alone? Çréla Prabhupäda: No. Therefore we have cited this verse: tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. The word abhigacchet means “must.” It is not possible alone. In Sanskrit grammar this is called the vidhi-liì form of a verb, and this form is used when there is no choice. The word abhigacchet means that one must approach a guru. That is the Vedic version. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gétä you will find that Arjuna was talking to Kåñëa, but when he saw that things were not being resolved, he surrendered himself to Kåñëa and accepted Him as his guru. The Science of Self-Realization To understand Kåñëa, one must approach a spiritual master in the disciplic succession from Vyäsadeva: It is said that Vidura understood transcendental knowledge from Maitreya, and it is stated that Maitreya is a friend of Vyäsadeva’s. This means that both Vidura and Maitreya know what Vyäsadeva knows. We have to approach a spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession from Vyäsadeva. Everyone may claim to be following Vyäsadeva, but one must actually follow him. Vyäsadeva accepted Kåñëa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Arjuna also accepted Kåñëa as Parabrahman, the Supreme Person.... Vyäsadeva accepted Kåñëa as paraà brahma, and Vyäsadeva began his commentary on Vedänta-sütra with the words oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. If we are actually interested in understanding, we must approach a representative of Vyäsadeva like Maitreya. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti Unless guided by a realized spiritual master, one’s understanding of the Supreme Lord is simply foolishness: A student is to be considered perfected when he understands the identity of the holy name and the Supreme Lord. Unless one is under the shelter of a realized spiritual master, his understanding of the Supreme is simply foolishness. However, one can fully understand the transcendental Lord by service and devotion. Teachings of Lord Caitanya

5. To Receive Perfect Knowledge or to Realize the Truth, One Must Approach a Spiritual Master For perfect knowledge, one must approach a spiritual master: tad viddhi praëipätena... “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.”... PURPORT: The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us 22

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to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself.... No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Bhägavatam says: dharmaà tu säkñäd bhagavat-praëétam [SB 6.3.19]—the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 4.34 The light of knowledge is given by the guru: This world is full of darkness and ignorance, but Kåñëa consciousness is transcendental to this material world. In Kåñëa consciousness, there is no darkness but simply light. If we try to find things at night, it becomes very difficult; however, in the daytime, there is no difficulty. The çästras enjoin that we leave this darkness and come to light. This light is given by the guru. oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù “I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.” It is the guru’s business to give light by knowledge. The guru has completely assimilated the Vedic essence of life. Teachings of Lord Caitanya To get knowledge, one must approach a guru: We can speculate for many births, for many years, and yet not be able to understand the ultimate goal of life. Therefore the çästras all advise that we search out a guru. The word guru means “heavy” or “weighty.” One who has much knowledge is heavy with knowledge. One should consider the bona fide guru in this way, and one should not think, “I know everything. Who can teach me?” No one can say such a thing, for everyone needs instruction. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti Knowledge must be acquired from one who is dhéra (undisturbed by material illusion), the spiritual master: The instructions of vidyä (knowledge) must be acquired from a dhéra. A dhéra is one who is not disturbed by material illusion. No one can be undisturbed unless he is perfectly spiritually realized, at which time one neither hankers nor laments for anything. A dhéra realizes that the material body and mind which he has acquired by chance through material association are but foreign elements; therefore he simply makes the best use of a bad bargain.... The dhéras are those who have come to know all these facts by hearing of them from superior authorities. The dhéras realize this knowledge by following the regulative principles. To follow the regulative principles, one must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. The transcendental message and regulative principles come down from the spiritual master to the disciple. Such knowledge does not come in the hazardous way of nescient education. One can become a dhéra only by submissively hearing the messages of the Personality of Godhead. The perfect disciple must be like Arjuna, and the spiritual master must be as good as the Lord Himself. This is the process of learning vidyä (knowledge) from the dhéra, the undisturbed. Çré Éçopaniñad Mantra 10 Without being trained by a spiritual master, one cannot understand the existence of the soul within the body: 23

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Foolish rascals, including so-called jïänés, philosophers and scientists, cannot understand the existence of the soul within the body because they are lacking in spiritual knowledge. The Vedas enjoin, tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] to understand spiritual knowledge, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. Unless one has been trained in geology, one cannot detect gold in stone. Similarly, unless one has been trained by a spiritual master, he cannot understand what is spirit and what is matter. Here it is said, yogais tad-abhijïaù. This indicates that one who has connected himself with spiritual knowledge can understand that there is a spiritual soul within the body. However, one who is in an animalistic conception of life and has no spiritual culture cannot understand. As an expert minerologist or geologist can understand where there is gold and can then invest his money to dig there and chemically separate the gold from the ore, an expert spiritualist can understand where the soul is within matter. One who has not been trained cannot distinguish between gold and stone. Similarly, fools and rascals who have not learned from an expert spiritual master what is soul and what is matter cannot understand the existence of the soul within the body. To understand such knowledge, one must be trained in the mystic yoga system, or, finally, in the bhakti-yoga system. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.55), bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti. Unless one takes shelter of the bhakti-yoga process, one cannot understand the existence of the soul within the body. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.7.21 To understand the material and spiritual worlds, and his own existential position, the conditioned soul must approach a bona fide spiritual master and learn from him: A person interested in transcendental knowledge must therefore always directly and indirectly inquire about it to know the all-pervading truth. (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.36) PURPORT: Those who are serious about the knowledge of the transcendental world, which is far beyond the material cosmic creation, must approach a bona fide spiritual master to learn the science both directly and indirectly. One must learn both the means to approach the desired destination and the hindrances to such progress. The spiritual master knows how to regulate the habits of a neophyte disciple, and therefore a serious student must learn the science in all its aspects from him....One should understand, through the transparent medium of the spiritual master, that the Supreme Lord exists everywhere in His transcendental spiritual nature and that the living entities’ relationships with the Lord are directly and indirectly existing everywhere, even in this material world. In the spiritual world there are five kinds of relationships with the Supreme Lord—çänta, däsya, säkhya, vätsalya and mädhurya.... These five relationships in the material world are distorted reflections of the original pure sentiments, which should be understood and perfected in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master ... a conditioned soul must ultimately approach a bona fide spiritual master and try to understand perfectly the material and spiritual worlds and his own existential position. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi. 1.56 A real brähmaëa, rather than endeavor for material advancement, approaches a bona fide spiritual master: The Vedic injunction is that no one can have full knowledge without being under the guidance of an äcärya. Äcäryavän puruño veda: one who has accepted an äcärya knows what is what. The Absolute Truth cannot be understood by arguments. One who has attained the perfect brahminical stage naturally becomes renounced; he does not strive for material gain because by spiritual knowledge he has come to the conclusion that in this world there is no insufficiency. Everything is sufficiently provided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A real brähmaëa, therefore, does not endeavor for material perfection; rather, he approaches a bona fide spiritual master to accept orders from him. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Unless one approaches an enlightened guru, one remains in ignorance and suffering: The human form of body is actually meant for jévasya tattva jijïäsä, enlightenment in knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore, one must seek shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Tasmäd guruà pra24

The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master

padyeta: [SB 11.3.21] one must approach a guru. Who is a guru? Çäbde pare ca nisëätam (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.3.27): a guru is one who has full transcendental knowledge. Unless one approaches a spiritual master, one remains in ignorance. Äcäryavän puruño veda (Chändogya Upaniñad 6.14.2): one has full knowledge about life when one is äcäryavän, controlled by the äcärya. But when one is conducted by rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa, one does not care about anything; instead, one acts like an ordinary foolish animal, risking his life (måtyu-saàsära-vartmani [Bg. 9.3]) and therefore continuing to go through suffering after suffering. Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.31). Such a foolish person does not know how to elevate himself in this body. Instead, he indulges in sinful activities and goes deeper and deeper into hellish life. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.10.10 By surrendering to a bona fide spiritual master, one advances on the path of transcendental realization: One cannot become a perfect devotee of the Lord without having touched the lotus feet of a great devotee. One who has nothing to do with this material world is called niñkiïcana. The process of selfrealization and the path home, back to Godhead, means surrendering to the bona fide spiritual master and taking the dust of his lotus feet on one’s head. Thus one advances on the path of transcendental realization. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.31.28 To realize the Transcendence, one’s senses must be spiritualized under the direction of the spiritual master: The serious candidate must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to be trained scientifically. Because the senses are material, it is not at all possible to realize the Transcendence by them. Therefore the senses have to be spiritualized by the prescribed method under the direction of the spiritual master. Easy Journey to Other Planets Transcendental knowledge can be understood only by the grace of a bona fide spiritual master: Näräyaëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the well wisher and friend of all living entities, formerly explained this transcendental knowledge to the great saint Närada. Such knowledge is extremely difficult to understand without the mercy of a saintly person like Närada, but everyone who has taken shelter of Närada’s disciplic succession can understand this confidential knowledge. PURPORT: It is stated here that this confidential knowledge is extremely difficult to understand, yet it is very easy to understand if one takes shelter of a pure devotee. This confidential knowledge is also mentioned at the end of Bhagavad-gétä, where the Lord says, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66] “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.” This knowledge is an extremely confidential secret, but it can be understood if one approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the bona fide agent, the spiritual master in the disciplic succession from Närada.... Understanding does not depend upon high parentage. The living entity is certainly pure on the spiritual platform, and therefore anyone who attains the spiritual platform by the grace of the spiritual master can also understand this confidential knowledge. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.6.27 Freedom from lamentation and illusion follow surrender to a spiritual master: Although Arjuna was for the time being overwhelmed with false grief due to family affection, he surrendered unto Kåñëa, the supreme spiritual master, as a disciple. This indicated that he would soon be free from the false lamentation resulting from family affection and would be enlightened with perfect knowledge of self-realization, or Kåñëa consciousness, and would then surely fight. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.9 Realized knowledge is attained when one realizes the teachings received from the spiritual master: 25

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One should approach a bona fide spiritual master—irrespective of caste, creed, color, country, etc.— and hear from him everything about devotional service. The real purpose of life is to revive our dormant love of God. Indeed, that is our ultimate necessity. How that love of God can be attained is explained in Çrémad-Bhägavatam. There is theoretical knowledge and specific or realized knowledge, and perfect realized knowledge is attained when one realizes the teachings received from the spiritual master. Teachings of Lord Caitanya Because nothing is unknown to the realized spiritual master, one should approach him for complete knowledge: The Vedic mantras say: yasmin vijïäte sarvam evaà vijïätaà bhavati (Muëòaka Upaniñad 1.3). When the devotee sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his meditation, or when he sees the Lord personally, face to face, he becomes aware of everything within this universe. Indeed, nothing is unknown to him. Everything within this material world is fully manifested to a devotee who has seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavad-gitä (4.34) therefore advises: tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” Lord Brahmä is one of these self-realized authorities (svayambhür näradaù çambhuù kumäraù kapilo manuù [SB 6.3.20]). One must therefore accept the disciplic succession from Lord Brahmä, and then one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in fullness. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.6.9 By serving the lotus feet of the spiritual master, one can achieve transcendental knowledge: Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: My dear King, Prince Priyavrata was a great devotee because he sought the lotus feet of Närada, his spiritual master, and thus achieved the highest perfection in transcendental knowledge. PURPORT: Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura has sung, chäòiyä vaiñëava-sevä nistära päyeche kebä: “Without serving the lotus feet of a pure Vaiñëava or spiritual master, no one has ever attained perfect liberation from material bondage.” Prince Priyavrata regularly served the lotus feet of Närada, and thus the Prince perfectly understood transcendental subjects in truth. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.1.6 By getting knowledge from the spiritual master, the disciple transcends the modes of nature: One can transcend all the activities of the modes of material nature simply by understanding them properly by learning from the proper souls. The real spiritual master is Kåñëa, and He is imparting this spiritual knowledge to Arjuna. Similarly, it is from those who are fully in Kåñëa consciousness that one has to learn this science of activities in terms of the modes of nature. Otherwise, one’s life will be misdirected. By the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, a living entity can know of his spiritual position, his material body, his senses, how he is entrapped, and how he is under the spell of the material modes of nature. He is helpless, being in the grip of these modes, but when he can see his real position, then he can attain to the transcendental platform, having the scope for spiritual life. Actually, the 26

The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master

living entity is not the performer of different activities. He is forced to act because he is situated in a particular type of body, conducted by some particular mode of material nature. Unless one has the help of spiritual authority, he cannot understand in what position he is actually situated. With the association of a bona fide spiritual master, he can see his real position, and, by such an understanding, he can become fixed in full Kåñëa consciousness. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 14.19

6. To Understand Vedic Knowledge, One Must Hear from a Spiritual Master Kåñëa taught, by example, that everyone must learn the Vedas from an authorized teacher: The Lord is constitutionally well versed in all the Vedas, and yet to teach by example that everyone must go to learn the Vedas from an authorized teacher and must satisfy the teacher by service and reward, He Himself adopted this system. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.3.2 The disciple should study and learn all the Vedic literatures under the care of the spiritual master: One who is twiceborn, namely a brähmaëa, kñatriya or vaiçya, should reside in the guru-kula under the care of the spiritual master. There he should study and learn all the Vedic literatures along with their supplements and the Upaniñads, according to his ability and power to study. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.12.13 Unless one surrenders to a spiritual master, he cannot understand Vedic knowledge (merely by an academic career): When all the students thus resolved, criticizing Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, their intelligence was spoiled. Thus although they were learned scholars, because of this offense the essence of knowledge was not manifest in them. PURPORT: One who is unflinchingly devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu, and similarly devoted to the spiritual master, with no ulterior motive, becomes a master of all knowledge. In the heart of such a devotee, the real essence of the Vedic knowledge becomes manifest. This essence is nothing but surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead (vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù [Bg. 15.15]). Only unto one who fully surrenders to the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord does the essence of Vedic knowledge become manifest, not to anyone else.... Çrédhara Svämé confirms in his commentary that first one must surrender to the spiritual master; then the process of devotional service will develop. It is not a fact that only one who diligently pursues an academic career can become a devotee. Even with no academic career, if one has full faith in the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he develops in spiritual life and real knowledge of the Vedas. The example of Mahäräja Khaöväìga confirms this. One who surrenders is understood to have learned the subject matter of the Vedas very nicely. One who adopts this Vedic process of surrender learns devotional service and is certainly successful. One who is very much proud, however, is unable to surrender either to the spiritual master or to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he cannot understand the essence of any Vedic literature.... Anyone who does not follow the surrendering process but is simply interested in an academic career cannot make any advancement. His profit is only his labor for nothing. If one is expert in the study of the Vedas but does not surrender to a spiritual master or Viñëu, all his cultivation of knowledge is but a waste of time and labor. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 17.257 Scriptural study without contact of a realized spiritual master is ineffectual: Unless one inquires about his own self beyond the body and the mind, all his activities in human life are total failures. Therefore out of thousands and thousands of men, one may inquire about his spirit 27

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self and thus consult the revealed scriptures like Vedänta-sütras, Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. But in spite of reading and hearing such scriptures, unless one is in touch with a realized spiritual master, he cannot actually realize the real nature of self, etc. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.1 To understand the mystery of revealed scriptures, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master: One who is not taught by a bona fide spiritual master cannot understand the Vedic literature. To emphasize this point, Lord Kåñëa, while instructing Arjuna, clearly said that it was because Arjuna was His devotee and confidential friend that he could understand the mystery of Bhagavad-gétä. It is to be concluded, therefore, that one who wants to understand the mystery of revealed scriptures must approach a bona fide spiritual master, hear from him very submissively and render service to him. Then the import of the scriptures will be revealed. It is stated in the Vedas: yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau tasyaite kathitä hy arthäù prakäçante mahätmanaù “The real import of the scriptures is revealed to one who has unflinching faith in both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.48 Only from the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession can one understand the Çrémad-Bhägavatam: “One should taste the meaning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam in the association of pure devotees....” PURPORT: The Çrémad-Bhägavatam can only be recited by one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of Kåñëa and His devotee, the spiritual master. One should try to understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam from the spiritual master. The Vedic injunction states: bhaktyä bhägavataà grähyaà na buddhyä na ca öékayä. One has to understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam through the process of devotional service and by hearing the recitation of a pure devotee. These are the injunctions of Vedic literature—çruti and småti. Those who are not in the disciplic succession and who are not pure devotees cannot understand the real mysterious objective of Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Çrémad Bhagavad-gétä. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 22.131 One cannot see properly without hearing Vedic wisdom descending through disciplic succession: It is clearly mentioned in this sixth mantra that one should observe, or see. This means that one must follow the previous äcärya, the perfected teacher. Anupaçyati is the exact Sanskrit word used in this connection. Paçyati means to observe. This does not mean that one should try to see things as he does with the naked eye. Due to material defects, the naked eye cannot see anything properly. One cannot see properly unless he has heard from a superior source, and the highest source is the Vedic wisdom which is spoken by the Lord Himself. Vedic truths are coming in disciplic succession from the Lord to Brahmä, from Brahmä to Närada, from Närada to Vyäsa, and from Vyäsa to many other disciples. Çré Éçopaniñad Mantra 6 Rather than speculate, one should approach a bona fide spiritual master and get real knowledge from him: [One should] approach a bona fide guru who is the representative of the Lord following the paramparä system. No one should try to squeeze out his own meaning by imperfect mundane knowledge. The guru, or the bona fide spiritual master, is competent to teach the disciple in the right path with reference to the context of all authentic Vedic literature. He does not attempt to juggle words to bewilder the 28

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student. The bona fide spiritual master, by his personal activities, teaches the disciple the principles of devotional service. Without personal service, one would go on speculating like the impersonalists and dry speculators life after life and would be unable to reach the final conclusion. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.37 To understand Vedic knowledge (and thus become a brähmaëa), one must be initiated by a bona fide guru: A first-class intelligent man is called a brähmaëa because he knows the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth. According to the Vedic instructions, tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] to know this science, one must approach a bona fide guru, a spiritual master who will initiate the disciple with the sacred thread so that he may understand the Vedic knowledge. Janmanä jäyate çüdraù saàskäräd bhaved dvijaù. Becoming a brähmaëa through the endeavor of a bona fide spiritual master is called saàskära. After initiation, one is engaged in study of the çästra, which teaches the student how to gain release from materialistic life and return home, back to Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.5.20 To understand the instructions of the supreme spiritual master, Kåñëa, one must approach a guru: Sometimes it is argued that people do not know who is a spiritual master and that finding a spiritual master from whom to get enlightenment in regard to the destination of life is very difficult. To answer all these questions, King Satyavrata shows us the way to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the real spiritual master. The Supreme Lord has given full directions in Bhagavad-gétä about how to deal with everything in this material world and how to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore, one should not be misled by so-called gurus who are rascals and fools. Rather, one should directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the guru or instructor. It is difficult, however, to understand Bhagavad-gétä without the help of the guru. Therefore the guru appears in the paramparä system. In Bhagavad-gétä (4.34) the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends: tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” ... Where, then, is the difficulty in finding a guru? If one is sincere he can find the guru and learn everything. One should take lessons from the guru and find out the goal of life. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.24.53 One must study the Vedas under a bona fide spiritual master: The institution of varëa and äçrama prescribes many regulative duties to be observed by its followers. Such duties enjoin that a candidate willing to study the Vedas must approach a bona fide spiritual master and request acceptance as his disciple. The sacred thread is a sign of those who are competent to study the Vedas from the äcärya, or the bona fide spiritual master.... Generally, a man is born as an ordinary being, and by the purificatory processes he is born for the second time. When he sees a new light and seeks direction for spiritual progress, he approaches a spiritual master for instruction in the Vedas. The spiritual master accepts only the sincere inquirer as his disciple and gives him the sacred thread. In this way a man becomes twiceborn, or a dvija. After qualifying as a dvija one may study the Vedas, and after becoming well versed in the Vedas one becomes a vipra. A vipra, or a qualified brähmaëa, thus realizes the Absolute and makes further progress in spiritual iife until he reaches the Vaiñëava stage. The Vaiñëava stage is the postgraduate status of a brähmaëa. A progressive brähmaëa must necessarily 29

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become a Vaiñëava, for a Vaiñëava is a self-realized, learned brähmaëa. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.2

7. To Understand Things Beyond the Range of the Senses and Mind, One Must Hear from a Spiritual Master Knowledge of the absolute region can be had not by material observation or speculation, but by surrendering to and hearing from the guru: Gentlemen, our knowledge is so poor, our senses are so imperfect, and our sources are so limited that it is not possible for us to have even the slightest knowledge of the absolute region without surrendering ourselves at the lotus feet of Çré Vyäsadeva or his bona fide representative. Every moment we are being deceived by the knowledge of our direct perception. It is all the creation or concoction of the mind, which is always deceiving, changing, and flickering. We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited, perverted method of observation and experiment. But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this through the unadulterated medium of Çré Gurudeva or Çré Vyäsadeva. The Science of Self-Realization To understand that which is beyond one’s senses, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master: If you want to attain knowledge by any personal endeavor, by exercising your imperfect senses, you will never come to the right conclusion. That is not possible. There is a statement in Brahma-saàhitä: Just ride on the airplane which runs at the speed of mind. Our material airplanes can run two thousand miles per hour, but what is the speed of mind? You are sitting at home, you immediately think of India, say ten thousand miles away, and at once it is in your home. Your mind has gone there. The mind-speed is so swift. Therefore it is stated, “If you travel at this speed for millions of years, you’ll find that the spiritual sky is unlimited.” It is not possible even to approach it. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is that one must approach—the word “compulsory” is used—a bona fide spiritual master, a guru. Çré Éçopaniñad Intro. To understand things beyond material conception, one must hear from a bona fide äcärya: Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu then assured the brähmaëa, “Have faith in my words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.” PURPORT: This is the process of spiritual understanding. Acintyäù khalu ye bhävä na täàs tarkeëa yojayet. We should not try to understand things beyond our material conception by argument and counter argument. Mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù: [Cc Mad 17.186] we have to follow in the footsteps of great authorities coming down in the paramparä system. If we approach a bona fide äcärya and keep faith in his words, spiritual realization will be easy. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.195

8. One Can Achieve Liberation from Material Existence Only by Approaching a Spiritual Master The bound (conditioned) soul requires help of an unbound (liberated) soul—the spiritual master: It is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself—he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kåñëa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, 30

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one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 7.14 To be freed from the entanglement of the material world, one must approach a spiritual master: O My sons, you should accept a highly elevated paramahaàsa, a spiritually advanced spiritual master. PURPORT: One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. This is advocated by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu: çré-guru-padäçrayaù. To be freed from the entanglement of the material world, one has to approach a spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.10 No one can get free from the influence of material nature by personal attempts; one must accept a bona fide spiritual master and act under his direction: The personified Vedas continued: “Our dear Lord, although great mystic yogés may have full control over the elephant of the mind and the hurricane of the senses, unless they take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, they fall victims to the material influence and never become successful in their attempts at self-realization. Such unguided persons are compared to merchants going to sea on a ship without a captain. By his personal attempts, therefore, no one can get free from the clutches of material nature. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and work according to his direction. Then it is possible to cross over the nescience of material conditions.” Kåñëa By coming under the shelter of a guru, the conditioned soul becomes free from the continuous struggle up and down within the material world: When the conditioned soul accepts the shelter of the creeper of fruitive activity, he may be elevated by his pious activities to higher planetary systems and thus gain liberation from hellish conditions, but unfortunately he cannot remain there. After reaping the results of his pious activities, he has to return to the lower planetary systems. In this way he perpetually goes up and comes down. PURPORT: Even if one wanders for many millions of years, from the time of creation until the time of annihilation, one cannot get free from the path of material existence unless one receives shelter at the lotus feet of a pure devotee. As a monkey takes shelter of the branch of a banyan tree and thinks he is enjoying, the conditioned soul, not knowing the real interest of his life, takes shelter of the path of karma-käëòa, fruitive activities. Sometimes he is elevated to the heavenly planets by such activities, and sometimes he again descends to earth. This is described by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu as brahmäëòa bhramite. However, if by Kåñëa’s grace one is fortunate enough to come under the shelter of the guru, by the mercy of Kåñëa he receives lessons on how to execute devotional service to the Supreme Lord. In this way he receives a clue of how to get out of his continuous struggle up and down within the material world. Therefore the Vedic injunction is that one should approach a spiritual master.... One must come to Kåñëa consciousness, and therefore one must take shelter of a pure devotee. Thus one can become free from the clutches of matter. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.14.41 Approaching a spiritual master is not a fashion but a necessity for one wanting freedom from material miseries: Approaching a spiritual master is not just a fashion but is a necessity for one who is seriously conscious of the material miseries and who wants to be free of them. It is the duty of such a person to approach a spiritual master. In this regard, we should note similar circumstances in Bhagavad-gétä. When Arjuna was perplexed by so many problems involving whether to fight or not, he accepted Lord Kåñëa as his spiritual master. Teachings of Lord Caitanya 31

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The duty of a human being is to come in touch with Kåñëa’s representative, the bona fide spiritual master: Harassed life after life by the laws of nature, the living entity wanders throughout the entire universe in different planets and different species of life. Somehow or other, if he is fortunate enough, he comes in touch with a devotee who reforms his entire life. Then the living entity goes back home, back to Godhead. Therefore it is said: janame janame sabe pitä-mätä päya kåñëa guru nähi mile bhaja hari ei In the transmigration of the soul through different bodies, everyone, in every form of life—be it human, animal, tree or demigod—gets a father and mother. This is not very difficult. The difficulty is to obtain a bona fide spiritual master and Kåñëa. Therefore the duty of a human being is to capture the opportunity to come in touch with Kåñëa’s representative, the bona fide spiritual master. Under the guidance of the spiritual master, the spiritual father, one can return home, back to Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.16.6 When the conditioned soul meets and follows the instructions of the expert physician, the bona fide spiritual master, his material disease is cured: Due to the conditioned soul’s eternal attitude of separation from Kåñëa, the spell of material energy awards him two kinds of bodily existence—the gross body consisting of five elements, and the subtle body consisting of mind, intelligence and ego. Being covered by these two bodies, the conditioned soul eternally suffers the pangs of material existence known as the threefold miseries. He is also subjected to six enemies (such as lust, anger, etc.). Such is the everlasting disease of the conditioned soul. Diseased and conditioned, the living entity transmigrates throughout the universe. Sometimes he is situated in the upper planetary system and sometimes in the lower system. In this way he leads his diseased life. His disease can be cured only when he meets and follows the expert physician, the bona fide spiritual master. When the conditioned soul faithfully follows the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master, his material disease is cured, he is promoted to the liberated stage, and he again attains to the devotional service of Kåñëa and goes back home, back to Kåñëa. Teachings of Lord Caitanya To get out of the clutches of material nature and achieve the lotus feet of Kåñëa, one must approach a spiritual master and be trained by him in devotional service: In Bhagavad-gétä it is stated (7.14) that material nature is so strong that it cannot be surmounted by an ordinary living entity. Only those who surrender unto the lotus feet of Kåñëa can cross the ocean of material existence. The living entity forgets that he is eternally the servitor of Kåñëa, and his forgetfulness causes his bondage in conditional life and his attraction for material energy. Indeed, that attraction is the shackle of material energy. Since it is very difficult for a person to become free as long as he desires to dominate material nature, it is recommended that he approach a spiritual master who can train him in devotional service and enable him to get out of the clutches of material nature and achieve the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Teachings of Lord Caitanya One must approach a guru to find out one’s real self interest and to cross beyond material existence: Sanätana Gosvämé was a great learned scholar, and he was called a paëòita, which indicates that he was a learned brähmaëa. When Sanätana Gosvämé approached Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, he said, “The people in my neighborhood are calling me a paëòita, and I am very unhappy because of this.” Caitanya Mahäprabhu asked, “Why are you dissatisfied?” Sanätana Gosvämé replied, “I am such a poor paëòita that I do not even know the goal of life. I do not even know what is beneficial for me. I am simply being carried away by sense gratification.” In this way, Sanätana Gosvämé approached Çré Caitanya Mahäpra32

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bhu. He did not approach Him to get some gold or some medicine. He went to find out his real selfinterest. This is the real purpose for approaching a guru. Devahüti approached Lord Kapiladeva in the same way. She said, “My dear Kapila, You have come as my son, but You are my guru because You can inform me how I can cross the ocean of nescience, which is the material world.” Thus one who feels the need to cross the dark ocean of nescience, which is material existence, requires a guru. It is not the guru’s task to supply gold and medicine. Now it has become a fashion to keep a guru as if he were a dog or a cat. This is of no use. We must inquire about that portion of God’s creation which is beyond this darkness. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti The spiritual master is the captain of the boat of the human form of life for crossing the ocean of nescience: Lord Brahmä said: My dear demigods, the human form of life is of such importance that we also desire to have such life, for in the human form one can attain perfect religious truth and knowledge. If one in this human form of life does not understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His abode, it is to be understood that he is very much affected by the influence of the external nature. PURPORT: Brahmäjé condemns very vehemently the condition of the human being who does not take interest in the Personality of Godhead and His transcendental abode, Vaikuëöha. The human form of life is desired even by Brahmäjé. Brahmä and other demigods have much better material bodies than human beings, yet the demigods, including Brahmä, nevertheless desire to attain the human form of life because it is specifically meant for the living entity who can attain transcendental knowledge and religious perfection. It is not possible to go back to Godhead in one life, but in the human form one should at least understand the goal of life and begin Kåñëa consciousness. It is said that the human form is a great boon because it is the most suitable boat for crossing over the nescience ocean. The spiritual master is considered to be the most able captain in that boat, and the information from the scriptures is the favorable wind for floating over the ocean of nescience. The human being who does not take advantage of all these facilities in this life is committing suicide. Therefore one who does not begin Kåñëa consciousness in the human form of life loses his life to the influence of the illusory energy. Brahmä regrets the situation of such a human being. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.15.24 A human being who takes advantage of taking instruction from the spiritual master has properly used his human form of life: “If a man is sufficiently educated in student life under the guidance of a proper teacher, then his life becomes successful in the future. He can very easily cross over the ocean of nescience, and he is not subjected to the influence of the illusory energy.... The spiritual master who instructs the disciples about spiritual matters is called çikñä-guru, and the spiritual master who initiates the disciple is called dékñä-guru. Both of them are My representatives. There may be many spiritual masters who instruct, but the initiator spiritual master is one. A human being who takes advantage of these spiritual masters and, receiving proper knowledge from them, crosses the ocean of material existence, is to be understood as having properly utilized the human form of life. He has practical knowledge that the ultimate interest of life, which is to be gained only in this human form of life, is to achieve spiritual perfection and thus be transferred back home, back to Godhead.” Kåñëa To get relief from the struggle for existence, one must find a bona fide guru and take instructions at his lotus feet: In this material world the conditioned souls are baffled by their activities, and sometimes they are relieved after great difficulty. On the whole the conditioned soul is never happy. He simply struggles for existence. Actually his only business is to accept the spiritual master, the guru, and through him he must accept the lotus feet of the Lord. This is explained by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu: guru-kåñëa33

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prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja [Cc Mad 19.151]. People struggling for existence in the forests or cities of the material world are not actually enjoying life. They are simply suffering different pains and pleasures, generally pains that are always inauspicious. They try to gain release from these pains, but they cannot due to ignorance. For them it is stated in the Vedas: tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. When the living entity is lost in the forest of the material world, in the struggle for existence, his first business is to find a bona fide guru who is always engaged at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu. After all, if he is at all eager to be relieved of the struggle for existence, he must find a bona fide guru and take instructions at his lotus feet. In this way he can get out of the struggle.... No one can get out of this struggle for existence, which is full of miseries, without accepting a pure devotee of the Lord. The material attempt changes from one position to another, and no one actually gains relief from the struggle for existence. The only resort is the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, and, through him, the lotus feet of the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.15.24 A person who associates with and surrenders to a spiritual master is saved by Kåñëa: Kåñëa comes like an ordinary human being, He comes as a devotee like Lord Caitanya, or He sends His representative, the spiritual master or pure devotee.... They come to canvass and educate, and thus a person in the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord gets a chance to mix with them, talk with them, and take lessons from them, and somehow or other if a conditioned soul surrenders to such personalities and by intimate association with them chances to become Kåñëa conscious, he is saved from the material conditions of life.... A person who surrenders unto [Kåñëa] by utilizing the chance to associate with the pure devotee, spiritual master or other authorized incarnations of Godhead like Påthu Mahäräja, is saved by Kåñëa. Then his life becomes successful. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.21.27 One cannot be freed from birth and death without the association of a bona fide spiritual master: When the living entity is encaged in the material body, he is called jéva-bhüta, and when he is free from the material body he is called brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20]. By changing his material body birth after birth, he travels not only in the different species of life, but also from one planet to another. Lord Caitanya says that the living entities, bound up by fruitive activities, are wandering in this way throughout the whole universe, and if by some chance or by pious activities they get in touch with a bona fide spiritual master, by the grace of Kåñëa, then they get the seed of devotional service. After getting this seed, if one sows it within his heart and pours water on it by hearing and chanting, the seed grows into a big plant, and there are fruits and flowers which the living entity can enjoy, even in this material world. That is called the brahma-bhüta stage.... Unless one gets the opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of the Lord, there is no possibility of one’s liberation from the cycle of birth and death in the different species of life and through the different grades of planets. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.31.43 The spiritual master extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence: Constant transmigration of the soul from one body to another is the cause of suffering in material existence. This conditional life in material existence is called saàsära. One may perform good work and take his birth in a very nice material condition, but the process under which birth and death takes place is like a terrible fire. Çré Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, in his prayer to the spiritual master, has described this. Saàsära, or the repetition of birth and death, is compared to a forest fire. A forest fire takes place automatically, without anyone’s endeavor, by the friction of dried wood, and no fire department or sympathetic person can extinguish it. The raging forest fire can be extinguished only when there is a constant downpour of water from a cloud. The cloud is compared to the mercy of the spiritual master. By the grace of the spiritual master the cloud of the mercy of the Personality of Godhead is brought in, and then only, when the rains of Kåñëa consciousness fall, can the fire of material existence 34

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be extinguished. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.21.17 Unless one receives the mercy of the spiritual master (and saintly persons and Kåñëa) liberation from material existence is not possible: Once one enters into the continuation of material existence, it is very difficult to get out. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes Himself or sends His bona fide representative, and He leaves behind scriptures like Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam, so that the living entities hovering in the darkness of nescience may take advantage of the instructions, the saintly persons and the spiritual masters and thus be freed. Unless the living entity receives the mercy of the saintly persons, the spiritual master or Kåñëa, it is not possible for him to get out of the darkness of material existence; by his own endeavor it is not possible. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.32.38 One properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master is gradually freed from material conceptions and becomes attached to devotional service: The Lord’s service is the only means by which one can become detached from material activities. A person properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and engaged in chanting Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare gradually becomes freed from the conception of “I” and “mine” and becomes attached to the Lord’s transcendental loving service. Teachings of Lord Caitanya By faithful and devotional service to the spiritual master, one can transcend the modes of material nature: rajas tamaç ca sattvena sattvaà copaçamena ca etat sarvaà gurau bhaktyä puruño hy aïjasä jayet One must conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by developing the mode of goodness, and then one must become detached from the mode of goodness by promoting oneself to the platform of çuddhasattva. All this can be automatically done if one engages in the service of the spiritual master with faith and devotion. In this way one can conquer the influence of the modes of nature. PURPORT: Just by treating the root cause of an ailment, one can conquer all bodily pains and sufferings. Similarly, if one is devoted and faithful to the spiritual master, he can conquer the influence of sattva-guëa, rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa very easily. Yogés and jïänés practice in many ways to conquer the senses, but the bhakta immediately attains the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the mercy of the spiritual master. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù. If the spiritual master is favorably inclined, one naturally receives the mercy of the Supreme Lord, and by the mercy of the Supreme Lord one immediately becomes transcendental, conquering all the influences of sattva-guëa, rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa within this material world. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhuyäya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]). If one is a pure devotee acting under the directions of the guru, one easily gets the mercy of the Supreme Lord and thus becomes immediately situated on the transcendental platform. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.15.25 When one accepts a saintly spiritual master, he gets spiritual knowledge, becomes detached and returns to his original Kåñëa consciousness: When a man comes into good consciousness and accepts a saintly person as a spiritual master, he hears 35

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many Vedic instructions in the form of philosophy, stories, narrations about great devotees and transactions between God and His devotees. In this way a man becomes refreshed in mind, exactly like a person who smears scented sandalwood pulp all over his body and decorates himself with ornaments. These decorations may be compared to knowledge of religion and the self. Through such knowledge one becomes detached from a materialistic way of life and engages himself in always hearing ÇrémadBhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä and other Vedic literatures. The word sädhv-alaìkåta used in this verse indicates that one must be absorbed in knowledge gathered from the instructions of saintly persons ... one who is decorated with knowledge and instructions from saintly persons should try to search out his original consciousness, Kåñëa consciousness. One cannot return to Kåñëa consciousness unless he is favored by the instructions of a saintly person. Therefore Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura sings: sädhuçästra-guru-väkya, cittete kariyä aikya. If we want to become saintly persons, or if we want to return to our original Kåñëa consciousness, we must associate with sädhu (a saintly person), çästra (authoritative Vedic scripture), and guru (a bona fide spiritual master). This is the process. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.26.12 By engaging in devotional service under the guidance of a spiritual master with faith and obedience, one is liberated from mäyä: The Personality of Godhead said: My dear mother, the path of self-realization which I have already instructed to you is very easy. You can execute this system without difficulty, and by following it you shall very soon be liberated, even within your present body. PURPORT: Devotional service is so perfect that simply by following the rules and regulations and executing them under the direction of the spiritual master, one is liberated, as it is said herein, from the clutches of mäyä, even in this body. In other yogic processes, or in empiric philosophical speculation, one is never certain whether or not he is at the perfectional stage. But in the discharge of devotional service, if one has unflinching faith in the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master and follows the rules and regulations, he is sure to be liberated, even within this present body. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, has also confirmed this. Éhä yasya harer däsye: anyone whose only aim is to serve the Supreme Lord under the direction of the spiritual master, regardless of where he is situated, is called jévan-mukta, or one who is liberated even with his material body. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.33.10 To become purified from the influence of material nature, one must worship the Lord under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master: All the conditioned souls are impure due to contact with the material energy in three modes of nature. Therefore it is necessary that they purify themselves under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, who not only is a brähmaëa by qualification but must also be a Vaiñëava. The only self-purifying process mentioned herein is to worship the Lord under the recognized method—under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. That is the natural way of purification, and no other method is recommended as bona fide. The other methods of purification may be helpful to come to this stage of life, but ultimately one has to come to this last point before he attains actual perfection. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.6.34 By following the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master the disciple attains knowledge and detachment: By following the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master in conjunction with the principles of revealed scriptures, the student will rise to the plane of complete knowledge, which will be exhibited by development of detachment from the world of sense gratification. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.37

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9. The Spiritual Master Solves the Problems of Life To solve the problems of life, one must approach a spiritual master: kärpaëya-doñopahata-svabhävaù påcchämi tvaà dharma-sammudha-cetaù yac chreyaù syän niçcitaà brühi tan me çiñyas te ‘haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me. PURPORT: By nature’s own way the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. In every step there is perplexity, and therefore it behooves one to approach a bona fide spiritual master who can give one proper guidance for executing the purpose of life. All Vedic literatures advise us to approach a bona fide spiritual master to get free from the perplexities of life which happen without our desire. They are like a forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone. Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear, without our wanting such confusion. No one wants fire, and yet it takes place, and we become perplexed. The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not, therefore, remain in material perplexities but should approach a spiritual master. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.7 Only the spiritual master can solve the problems of life: TRANSLATION I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to destroy it even if I win an unrivaled kingdom on the earth with sovereignty like that of the demigods in heaven. PURPORT: Although Arjuna was putting forward so many arguments based on knowledge of the principles of religion and moral codes, it appears that he was unable to solve his real problem without the help of the spiritual master, Lord Çré Kåñëa. He could understand that his so-called knowledge was useless in driving away his problems, which were drying up his whole existence; and it was impossible for him to solve such perplexities without the help of a spiritual master like Lord Kåñëa. Academic knowledge, scholarship, high position, etc., are all useless in solving the problems of life; help can only be given by a spiritual master like Kåñëa. Therefore, the conclusion is that a spiritual master who is one hundred percent Kåñëa conscious is the bona fide spiritual master, for he can solve the problems of life.... The problems of material existence—birth, old age, disease and death—cannot be counteracted by accumulation of wealth and economic development. In many parts of the world there are states which are replete with all facilities of life, which are full of wealth, and economically developed, yet the problems of material existence are still present. They are seeking peace in different ways, but they can achieve real happiness only if they consult Kåñëa, or the Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam— which constitute the science of Kåñëa—or the bona fide representative of Kåñëa, the man in Kåñëa consciousness. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.8 To solve the problems of material existence, an intelligent person must accept a bona fide spiritual master and inquire from him: The living entity’s evolution through different types of bodies is conducted automatically by the laws of nature in bodies other than those of human beings. In other words, by the laws of nature (prakåteù 37

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kriyamäëäni [Bg. 3.27]) the living entity evolves from lower grades of life to the human form. Because of his developed consciousness, however, the human being must understand the constitutional position of the living entity and understand why he must accept a material body. This chance is given to him by nature, but if he nonetheless acts like an animal, what is the benefit of his human life? In this life one must select the goal of life and act accordingly. Having received instructions from the spiritual master and the çästra, one must be sufficiently intelligent. In the human form of life, one should not remain foolish and ignorant, but must inquire about his constitutional position. This is called athäto brahma jijïäsä. The human psychology gives rise to many questions, which various philosophers have considered and answered with various types of philosophy based upon mental concoction. This is not the way of liberation. The Vedic instructions say, tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] to solve the problems of life, one must accept a spiritual master. Tasmäd guruà prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam: [SB 11.3.21] if one is actually serious in inquiring about the solution to material existence, one must approach a bona fide guru.... One must approach a bona fide spiritual master by surrendering himself (praëipätena) and rendering service. An intelligent person must inquire from the spiritual master about the goal of life. A bona fide spiritual master can answer all such questions because he has seen the real truth. Even in ordinary activities, we first consider gain and loss, and then we act. Similarly, an intelligent person must consider the entire process of material existence and then act intelligently, following the directions of the bona fide spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.7.47 To solve the problems of life, one must humbly approach a spiritual master and inquire from him: The sage Çukadeva Gosvämé sat perfectly pacified, intelligent and ready to answer any question without hesitation. The great devotee, Mahäräja Parékñit, approached him, offered his respects by bowing before him, and politely inquired with sweet words and folded hands. PURPORT: The gesture now adopted by Mahäräja Parékñit of questioning a master is quite befitting in terms of scriptural injunctions. The scriptural injunction is that one should humbly approach a spiritual master to understand the transcendental science. Mahäräja Parékñit was now prepared for meeting his death, and within the very short time of seven days he was to know the process of entering the kingdom of God. In such important cases, one is required to approach a spiritual master. There is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master unless one is in need of solving the problems of life. One who does not know how to put questions before the spiritual master has no business seeing him. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.19.31

10. To Learn the Art of Devotional Service, One Must Approach a Spiritual Master It is the duty of every man to approach a spiritual master and to learn the process of devotional service from him: sarva-desa-käla-daçäya janera kartavya guru-päçe sei bhakti prañöavya, çrotavya “It is therefore the duty of every man—in every country, in every circumstance and at all times—to approach the bona fide spiritual master, question him about devotional service and listen to him explain the process.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 25.122 One must be trained in devotional service by a spiritual master: In Bhagavad-gétä (7.1) the Lord recommends, mayy äsakta-manäù pärtha yogaà yuïjan mad-äçrayaù. This indicates that one must execute devotional service under the guidance of a devotee or directly under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not possible, however, to train one38

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self without guidance from the spiritual master. Therefore, according to the instructions of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, the first business of a devotee is to accept a bona fide spiritual master who can train him to engage his various senses in rendering transcendental service to the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.4.18-20 To learn the instructions of devotional service, the neophyte devotee must approach the number one Bhägavata, the personality of devotee: A third-class devotee has to receive the instructions of devotional service from the authoritative sources of Bhägavata. The number one Bhägavata is the established personality of devotee, and the other Bhägavatam is the message of Godhead. The third-class devotee therefore has to go to the personality of devotee in order to learn the instructions of devotional service. Such a personality of devotee is not a professional man who earns his livelihood by the business of Bhägavatam. Such a devotee must be a representative of Çukadeva Gosvämé, like Süta Gosvämé, and must preach the cult of devotional service for the all-around benefit of all people. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.12 To understand devotional service, one must accept, and inquire from, a Vaiñëava guru: If one wants to learn the meaning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, one must take lessons from a realized soul. One should not proudly think that one can understand the transcendental loving service of the Lord simply by reading books. One must become a servant of a Vaiñëava. As Narottama däsa Öhäkura has confirmed, chäòiyä vaiñëava-sevä nistära päyeche kebä: one cannot be in a transcendental position unless one very faithfully serves a pure Vaiñëava. One must accept a Vaiñëava guru (ädau gurv-äçrayam), and then by questions and answers one should gradually learn what pure devotional service to Kåñëa is. That is called the paramparä system. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 7.53 How, by associating with a pure devotee and accepting him as spiritual master, one advances to the ultimate perfection of devotional service: The influence of a pure devotee is such that if someone comes to associate with him with a little faith, he gets the chance of hearing about the Lord from authoritative scriptures like the Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Thus, by the mercy of the Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart, one gradually develops his faith in the descriptions of such authoritative scriptures. This is the first stage of association with pure devotees. In the second stage, after one becomes a little advanced and mature, he automatically offers to follow the principles of devotional service under the guidance of the pure devotee and accepts him as the spiritual master. In the next stage, under the guidance of the spiritual master, the devotee executes regulative devotional service, and, as a result of such activities, he becomes freed from all unwanted occupations, his faith becomes steadily fixed, and he develops a transcendental taste for devotional service, then attachment, then ecstasies, and in the last stage there is pure love of Godhead. These are the different stages of the development of pure love. The Nectar of Devotion Abandoning speculative logic, a devotee must let himself be guided by an expert spiritual master in a specific manner of devotional service, according to his tendency: If one develops love for Kåñëa by Kåñëa conscious activities, one can know the Supreme Absolute Truth, but he who tries to understand God simply by logical arguments will not succeed, nor will he get a taste for unalloyed devotion. The secret is that one must submissively listen to those who know perfectly the science of God, and one must begin the mode of service regulated by the preceptor. A devotee already attracted by the name, form, qualities, etc., of the Supreme Lord may be directed to his specific manner of devotional service; he need not waste time in approaching the Lord through logic. 39

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The expert spiritual master knows well how to engage his disciple’s energy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and thus he engages a devotee in a specific devotional service according to his special tendency. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.35 By practicing bhakti-yoga under the direction of a spiritual master, one attains love of God: To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Kåñëa, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasäda, and so on. There are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone to rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 12.9 To act under the spiritual master’s direction with a motive to satisfy Kåñëa is pure devotional service: In the conditioned stage, when one engages in devotional service, he should follow the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master in full surrender. The spiritual master is the manifested representation of the Supreme Lord because he receives and presents the instructions of the Lord, as they are, by disciplic succession. It is described in Bhagavad-gétä that the teachings therein should be received by disciplic succession, otherwise there is adulteration. To act under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master with a motive to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pure devotional service. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.29.8 The neophyte must be trained in devotional service under the direction of the spiritual master to attain the ultimate goal of life: By service of the Absolute Truth, even for a few days, a devotee attains firm and fixed intelligence in Me. Consequently he goes on to become My associate in the transcendental world after giving up the present deplorable material worlds. PURPORT: Serving the Absolute Truth means rendering service unto the Absolute Personality of Godhead under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, who is a transparent via medium between the Lord and the neophyte devotee. The neophyte devotee has no ability to approach the Absolute Personality of Godhead by the strength of his present imperfect material senses, and therefore under the direction of the spiritual master he is trained in transcendental service of the Lord. And by such training, even for some days, the neophyte devotee gets intelligence in such transcendental service, which leads him ultimately to get free from perpetual inhabitation in the material worlds and to be promoted to the transcendental world to become one of the liberated associates of the Lord in the kingdom of God. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.6.23 In an advanced stage of devotional service, one transcends the regulative principles and, through his spiritual master, engages in spontaneous devotional service to Kåñëa: Externally a devotee performs all the items of devotional service—çravaëa and kértana—in nine different ways, and within his mind he always thinks of his eternal relationship with Kåñëa and follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Våndävana. If one engages himself in the service of Rädhä and Kåñëa in this way, he can transcend the regulative principles enjoined in the çästras and, through his spiritual master, fully engage in rendering spontaneous love to Kåñëa. In this way, he attains affection at the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Kåñëa actually comes under the control of such spontaneous feelings, and ultimately 40

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one can attain association with the Lord. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 22.165 How the disciple attains spiritual perfection by taking shelter of a spiritual master: One’s first duty is to approach the spiritual master, the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to begin rendering service to him. Prahläda Mahäräja proposed that from the very beginning of life (kaumära äcaret präjïaù) a small child should be trained to serve the spiritual master while living at the guru-kula. Brahmacäré guru-kule vasan dänto guror hitam (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.12.1). This is the beginning of spiritual life. Guru-padäçrayaù, sädhu-vartmänuvartanam, sad-dharma-påcchä. By following the instructions of the guru and the çästras, the disciple attains the stage of devotional service and becomes unattached to possessions. Whatever he possesses he offers to the spiritual master, the guru, who engages him in çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù [SB 7.5.23]. The disciple follows strictly and in this way learns how to control his senses. Then, by using his pure intelligence, he gradually becomes a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé (ädau çraddhä tataù sädhu-saìgaù). In this way one’s life becomes perfect, and his attachment for Kåñëa becomes positively manifested. In that stage, he is situated in ecstasy, experiencing bhäva and anubhäva. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.7.33

11. For Success in Spiritual Life, One Requires a Spiritual Master For success in spiritual life, one must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master: Even for a king like Mahäräja Parékñit there was need of a spiritual master for guidance. Without such guidance one cannot make progress in spiritual life. The spiritual master must be bona fide, and one who wants to have self-realization must approach and take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master to achieve real success. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.16.3 For spiritual life, a spiritual master is essential: The principle of accepting a spiritual master ... is essential. Even for one who takes to devotional service, it is most important. Transcendental life begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, clearly states here that this process of knowledge is the actual path. Anything speculated beyond this is nonsense.... without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, one cannot progress in the spiritual science. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 13.8 To make progress in transcendental science, one must approach a spiritual master who is a realized devotee of the Lord: A serious devotee must first approach a spiritual master who not only is well versed in the Vedic literatures but is also a great devotee with factual realization of the Lord and His different energies. Without the help of such a devotee spiritual master, one cannot make progress in the transcendental science of the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.4.10 To reach perfection, the common man, who cannot control the mind and senses, must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master: Because the common man is unable to control the senses and the mind, it is therefore his duty to seek the shelter of a great soul or a great devotee of the Lord and just try to please him. That will make his life perfect. A common man cannot rise to the topmost stage of spiritual perfection simply by following the rituals and religious principles. He has to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and work 41

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under his direction faithfully and sincerely; then he becomes perfect without a doubt. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.22.6 To make spiritual advancement, one must approach a guru: O best of the brähmaëas, kindly instruct me in the perfect method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service, by which the Lord may very soon be pleased with me and save me, along with my sons, from this most dangerous condition. PURPORT: Sometimes less intelligent men ask whether one has to approach a guru to be instructed in devotional service for spiritual advancement. The answer is given here—indeed, not only here, but also in Bhagavad-gétä, where Arjuna accepted Kåñëa as his guru (çisyas te ‘haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam [Bg. 2.7]). The Vedas also instruct, tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] one must accept a guru for proper direction if one is seriously inclined toward advancement in spiritual life. The Lord says that one must worship the äcärya, who is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (äcäryaà mäà vijänéyät [SB 11.17.27]). One should definitely understand this. In Caitanyacaritämåta it is said that the guru is the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, according to all the evidence given by the çästra and by the practical behavior of devotees, one must accept a guru. Aditi accepted her husband as her guru, so that he would direct her how to advance in spiritual consciousness, devotional service, by worshiping the Supreme Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.16.23 One can get relief from all obstacles to spiritual life and be situated in blissful life only when one’s mind is completely surrendered to the lotus feet of the spiritual master: Çrépäda Çrédhara Svämé has composed a nice verse in which he says, “O all-merciful spiritual master, representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when will my mind be completely surrendered unto your lotus feet? At that time only, by your mercy, I shall be able to get relief from all obstacles to spiritual life, and I shall be situated in blissful life.” Kåñëa One who, out of pride, does not accept a spiritual master, can never go back to Godhead: One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead. One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative, therefore, that one accept a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord. The service of the spiritual master is essential.... If one thinks that he is above consulting anyone else, including a spiritual master, he is at once an offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such an offender can never go back to Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.35 To understand the purpose of spiritual life, one must act with reference to sädhu, çästra and guru: Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura advises, sädhu-çästra-guru-väkya, cittete kariyä aikya. The meaning of this instruction is that one must consider the instructions of the sädhu, the revealed scriptures and the spiritual master in order to understand the real purpose of spiritual life. Neither a sädhu (saintly person or Vaiñëava) nor a bona fide spiritual master says anything that is beyond the scope of the sanction of the revealed scriptures. Thus the statements of the revealed scriptures correspond to those of the bona fide spiritual master and saintly persons. One must therefore act with reference to these three important sources of understanding. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.48 42

The Absolute Necessity for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master

12. To Attain Kåñëa Consciousness, One Must Accept a Spiritual Master To attain Kåñëa consciousness, one must surrender to the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master: One should, by deliberate consideration, raise himself to the platform of Kåñëa consciousness. To attain such an end, one must touch the lotus feet of the spiritual master. Kåñëa consciousness cannot be achieved by self-endeavor. One must therefore approach a self-realized Kåñëa conscious person and touch his lotus feet.... One cannot come to the precincts of Kåñëa consciousness unless he touches the dust of the lotus feet of a person who has become a mahätmä, a great devotee. This is the beginning of the surrendering process. Lord Kåñëa wants everyone to surrender unto Him, and this surrendering process begins when one touches the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master. By sincerely rendering service to a bona fide spiritual master, one begins his spiritual life in Kåñëa consciousness. Touching the lotus feet of a spiritual master means giving up one’s false prestige and unnecessarily puffed-up position in the material world. Those who remain in the darkness of material existence due to their falsely prestigious positions—so-called scientists and philosophers—are actually atheists. They do not know the ultimate cause of everything. Although bewildered, they are not ready to surrender themselves to the lotus feet of a person who knows things in their proper perspective. In other words, one cannot arouse Kåñëa consciousness simply by his own mental speculation. One must surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Only this process will help him. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.26.20 One develops his Kåñëa consciousness proportionately to his association with a spiritual master: In the human form of life, because of developed consciousness (cetanam), one can be transferred from ignorance and passion to goodness by the results of his activities (kriyä-phalatvena). A human being is therefore advised to associate with spiritually advanced personalities. The Vedas give the direction tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] in order to reach the perfection of life or to understand the real constitutional position of the living entity, one must approach the spiritual master (Muëòaka Upanisad 1.2.12). Gurum eväbhigacchet—one must; it is not optional. It is imperative that one approach the spiritual master, for by such association one proportionately develops his consciousness towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.21.35 To become free from sin and to revive one’s original Kåñëa consciousness, one must serve a mahätmä spiritual master: My dear King, if a sinful person engages in the service of a bona fide devotee of the Lord and thus learns how to dedicate his life unto the lotus feet of Kåñëa, he can be completely purified. One cannot be purified merely by undergoing austerity, penance, brahmacarya and the other methods of atonement I have previously described. PURPORT: Tat-puruña refers to a preacher of Kåñëa consciousness, such as the spiritual master. Çri1a Narottama däsa Öhäkura has said, chäòiyä vaiñëava-sevä nistära päyeche kebä: “Without serving a bona fide spiritual master, an ideal Vaiñëava, who can be delivered from the clutches of mäyä?” This idea is also expressed in many other places. Çrémad-Bhägavatam (5.5.2) says, mahat-seväà dväram ähur vimukteù: if one desires liberation from the clutches of mäyä, one must associate with a pure devotee mahätmä. A mahätmä is one who engages twenty-four hours daily in the loving service of the Lord.... Thus the symptom of a mahätmä is that he has no engagement other than service to Kåñëa. One must render service to a Vaiñëava in order to get freed from sinful reactions, revive one’s original Kåñëa consciousness and be trained in how to love Kåñëa. This is the result of mahätma-sevä. Of course, if one engages in the service of a pure devotee, the reactions of one’s sinful life are vanquished automatically. Devotional service is necessary not to drive away an insignificant stock of sins, but to awaken our dormant love for Kåñëa. As fog is vanquished at the first glimpse of sunlight, one’s sinful reactions are automatically vanquished as soon as one begins serving a pure devotee; no separate endeavor is required. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.16 43

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To increase attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and inquire from him about the process of devotional service: For work in devotional service the first item is ädau gurväçrayam: one should accept a bona fide spiritual master, and from the bona fide spiritual master (sad-dharma-påcchä) inquire about his transcendental occupational duties (sädhu-märga-anugamanam) and follow in the footsteps of great saintly persons, devotees. These are the instructions given in Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu by Rüpa Gosvämé. The conclusion is that to increase attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead one has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and learn from him the methods of devotional service and hear from him about the transcendental message and glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way one has to increase his conviction about devotional service. Then it will be very easy to increase attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.22.22 Service of the devotees of the Lord frees one from miserable material conditions and brings one love of God: In the Third Canto, Seventh Chapter, 19th verse, of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam [it is said], “Let me become a sincere servant of the devotees because by serving them one can achieve unalloyed devotional service unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The service of devotees diminishes all miserable material conditions and develops within one a deep devotional love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” The Nectar of Devotion How, by following the instructions of the spiritual master, the disciple attains Kåñëa consciousness: As one advances in devotional activities, the process becomes progressively clearer and more encouraging. Unless one gets this spiritual encouragement by following the instructions of the spiritual master, it is not possible to make advancement. Therefore, one’s development of a taste for executing these instructions is the test of one’s devotional service. Initially, one must develop confidence by hearing the science of devotion from a qualified spiritual master. Then, as he associates with devotees and tries to adopt the means instructed by the spiritual master in his own life, his misgivings and other obstacles are vanquished by his execution of devotional service. Strong attachment for the transcendental service of the Lord develops as he continues listening to the messages of Godhead, and if he steadfastly proceeds in this way, he is certainly elevated to spontaneous love of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.60 One who surrenders to the Lord under the direction of the Lord’s servant, the spiritual master, is immediately purified and becomes eligible to go back to Godhead: If one seriously accepts the lotus feet of the Lord, he is purified by the grace of the Lord and by the grace of the Lord’s servant.... One who is brought under the lotus feet of the Lord by the endeavor of the Lord’s servant, the spiritual master, is certainly immediately purified, however lowborn he may be. He becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.30.41

13. Other Important Reasons for Accepting a Bona Fide Spiritual Master Any person desiring real happiness must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master: In the Eleventh Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Prabuddha tells Mahäräja Nimi: “My dear King, please know for certain that in the material world there is no happiness. It is simply a mistake to think that there is happiness here, because this place is full of nothing but miserable conditions. Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation.” The Nectar of Devotion 44

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Only one out of millions of living entities gets the fortunate opportunity of associating with a bona fide spiritual master: brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-krñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. By the mercy of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” PURPORT: When we speak of brahmäëòa, we refer to the whole universe, or to the cluster of many millions of universes. In all universes, there are innumerable planets and innumerable living entities upon those planets in the air and in the water. There are millions and trillions of living entities everywhere, and they are engaged by mäyä in suffering and enjoying the results of their fruitive activity life after life. This is the position of the materially conditioned living entities. Out of many of these living entities, if one is actually fortunate (bhägyavän), he comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by Kåñëa’s mercy. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 19.151 To act in yoga requires surrender to the servant of Kåñëa: Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga. PURPORT: The following of Kåñëa’s dictation is real yoga, and this is practiced in the process called Kåñëa consciousness. By Kåñëa consciousness only can one give up the sense of proprietorship. One has to become the servant of Kåñëa, or the servant of the servant of Kåñëa [Cc. Mad 13.80]. That is the right way to discharge duty in Kåñëa consciousness, which alone can help one to act in yoga. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.48 The spiritual master is one who solves all confusion: Çréla Prabhupada: ...In a chaotic condition, in a confused state of life, one should approach another, who is in full knowledge of the matter. You go to a lawyer to solve legal problems, and you go to a physician to solve medical problems. Everyone in the material world is confused about spiritual identity. It is therefore our duty to approach a bona fide spiritual master, who can give us real knowledge. Mr. O’Grady: I am very confused. Çréla Prabhupäda: So you must approach a spiritual master. Mr. O’Grady: And he makes a decision on how to help me stop this confusion? Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, the spiritual master is one who solves all confusion. If the spiritual master cannot save his disciple from confusion, he is not a spiritual master. That is the test. saàsära-dävänala-lédha-lokaträëäya käruëya-ghanäghanatvam präptasya kalyäëa-guëärëavasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam This whole confused world is just like a blazing forest fire. In a forest fire all the animals are confused. They do not know where to go to save their lives. In the blazing fire of the material world, everyone is confused. How can that blazing forest fire be extinguished? It is not possible to utilize your man-made 45

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fire brigade, nor is it possible to simply pour buckets of water. The solution comes when rain from the clouds falls on the forest fire. Only then can the fire be extinguished. That ability is not in your hands, but is in the mercy of God. So human society is in a confused state, and it cannot find a solution. The spiritual master is one who has received the mercy of God, and he can deliver the solution to the confused man. One who has received the mercy of God can become a spiritual master and deliver that mercy to others. The Science of Self-Realization Even demons can be elevated to the supreme goal under the guidance of a spiritual master: The Lord forces [demons] to take birth in the womb of demoniac persons. Consequently they will live by demoniac principles life after life without knowing their relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, however, such persons are fortunate enough to be guided by a spiritual master who can direct them to the path of Vedic wisdom, they can get out of this entanglement and ultimately achieve the supreme goal. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 17.5-6 Puffed-up, independent-minded persons do not seek the protection of a bona fide spiritual master: A person who is puffed up by so-called education and who has no humility does not seek the protection of a bona fide spiritual master. He thinks that he does not require a spiritual master and that he can achieve the highest perfection by his own efforts.... Those who are under the spell of material energy do not follow the instructions of the disciplic succession but try to manufacture something of their own and thereby step outside the sphere of Vedänta study. A bona fide spiritual master must always condemn such independent mental speculators. Teachings of Lord Caitanya One can meditate only under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master: After that, under the shadow of a banyan tree in an uninhabited forest I began to meditate upon the Supersoul situated within, using my intelligence, as I had learned from liberated souls. PURPORT: One should not meditate according to one’s personal whims. One should know perfectly well from the authoritative sources of scriptures through the transparent medium of a bona fide spiritual master and by proper use of one’s trained intelligence for meditating upon the Supersoul dwelling within every living being. This consciousness is firmly developed by a devotee who has rendered loving service unto the Lord by carrying out the orders of the spiritual master. Çré Näradajé contacted bona fide spiritual masters, served them sincerely and got enlightenment rightly. Thus he began to meditate. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.6.15

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Chapter II The Spiritual Master 1. The Definition of “Guru” and “Acarya” The meaning of “guru”: The word guru refers to one who gives proper direction under the authority of the Vedic injunctions and according to the examples of the lives of great personalities. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.21.28-29 Definition of a spiritual master: yäìhä haite kåñëa-bhakti sei guru haya “One who awakens devotion to Kåñëa is certainly a spiritual master.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 16.65 The definition of “guru”: It is said: oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù “I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.” This gives the definition of the guru. Everyone is in the darkness of ignorance. Therefore everyone needs to be enlightened with transcendental knowledge. One who enlightens his disciple and saves him from rotting in the darkness of ignorance in this material world is a true guru. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.15.16 Guru means “heavy with knowledge”: The various yoga systems are given for the machine of the body, but the process of bhakti is transcendental to mechanical arrangements. It is therefore called tad-vijïäna, transcendental to material understanding. If one actually wants to understand spiritual life and spiritual knowledge, one has to approach a guru. The word guru means “heavy,” heavy with knowledge. And what is that knowledge? Tad-vijïäna. That heaviness is brahma-niñöhä—attachment to Brahman and Parabrahman, Bhagavän. That is the guru’s qualification. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti The definition of “äcärya”: In the Väyu Puräëa an äcärya is defined as one who knows the import of all Vedic literature, explains the purpose of the Vedas, abides by their rules and regulations, and teaches his disciples to act in the same way. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46

2. The Identity of the Spiritual Master The spiritual master is a manifestation of Kåñëa (and should not, therefore, be regarded as an ordinary man) The representative of the Lord, the guru, is nondifferent from the Lord: ...One who is an actually bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kåñëa, is not different from Kåñëa. 47

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PURPORT: Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura says: säkñäd-dhari-tvena samasta-çästrair uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhiù. The spiritual master is described in every scripture as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is accepted as identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is the most confidential servant of the Lord (kintu prabhor yaù priya eva tasya).... [The pure devotee spiritual master] is to be understood as the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally present ... consulting a bona fide spiritual master means consulting the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally. One should therefore take shelter of such a bona fide spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.29.51 The disciple must look upon his spiritual master as the manifested representation of Kåñëa: guru kåñëa-rüpa hana çästrera pramäëe guru rüpe kåñëa kåpä karena bhakta-gaëe According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Kåñëa. Lord Kåñëa in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees. PURPORT: The relationship of a disciple with his spiritual master is as good as his relationship with the Supreme Lord. A spiritual master always represents himself as the humblest servitor of the Personality of Godhead, but the disciple must look upon him as the manifested representation of Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.45 There is no difference between the Lord and the initiating and instructing spiritual masters: çikñä-guruke ta’ jäni kåñëera svarüpa antaryämé, bhakta-çreñöha,-ei dui rüpa One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the personality of Kåñëa. Lord Kåñëa manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord. PURPORT: Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé states that the instructing spiritual master is a bona fide representative of Çré Kåñëa. Çré Kåñëa Himself teaches us as the instructing spiritual master from within and without. From within He teaches as Paramätmä, our constant companion, and from without He teaches from Bhagavad-gétä as the instructing spiritual master.... Our only shelter is the Supreme Lord, and one who teaches how to approach Kåñëa is the functioning form of the Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between the shelter-giving Supreme Lord and the initiating and instructing spiritual masters. If one foolishly discriminates between them, he commits an offense in the discharge of devotional service. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.47 The disciple must accept the spiritual master as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supersoul: [In the Eleventh Canto of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam] Sage Prabuddha continued to speak to the King [Nimi] as follows: “My dear King, a disciple has to accept the spiritual master not only as spiritual master, but also as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supersoul. In other words, the disciple should accept the spiritual master as God because he is the external manifestation of Kåñëa.” This is confirmed in every scripture, and a disciple should accept the spiritual master as such. The Nectar of Devotion Kåñëa instructs that the spiritual master must be accepted as His very self and therefore must not be envied: In the Eleventh Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Seventeenth Chapter, 27th verse, it is stated by Lord Kåñëa: “My dear Uddhava, the spiritual master must be accepted not only as My representative but as My very self. He must never be considered on the same level with an ordinary human being. One 48

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should never be envious of the spiritual master, as one may be envious of an ordinary man. The spiritual master should always be seen as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by serving the spiritual master, one is able to serve all the demigods.” The Nectar of Devotion The spiritual master is a direct manifestation of the Lord, and therefore is nondifferent from Kåñëa: Although I know that my spiritual master is the servitor of Çré Caitanya, I know him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord. PURPORT: Every living entity is essentially a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the spiritual master is also His servant. Still, the spiritual master is a direct manifestation of the Lord. With this conviction, a disciple can advance in Kåñëa consciousness. The spiritual master is nondifferent from Kåñëa because he is a manifestation of Kåñëa. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.44 Gurun (the spiritual masters) as one of six principles of the Absolute Truth: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual masters, the devotees of the Lord, the Lord’s incarnations, His plenary portions, His energies, and the primeval Lord Himself, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya. PURPORT: [Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé] offers his respectful obeisances to the six principles of the Absolute Truth.... Tat-prakäçän indicates the direct manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nityänanda Prabhu, and the initiating spiritual master. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.34 The Supreme Personality of Godhead has simultaneously entered and not entered the spiritual master: agnau guräv ätmani ca sarva-bhüteñv adhokñajam bhütaiù sva-dhämabhiù paçyed apraviñöaà praviñöavat One should realize that in the fire, in the spiritual master, in one’s self and in all living entities—in all circumstances and conditions—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu, has simultaneously entered and not entered. He is situated externally and internally as the full controller of everything. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.12.15 By surrendering to and offering respects to the guru, one surrenders to and offers respects to God: The guru is Kåñëa’s representative, the former äcäryas’ representative. Kåñëa says that all äcäryas are His representatives; therefore the guru should be offered the same respect one would offer to God. As Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura says in his prayers to the spiritual master, yasya prasädäd bhagavatprasädaù: “By the mercy of the spiritual master, one receives the benediction of Kåñëa.” Thus, if we surrender to the bona fide guru, we surrender to God. God accepts our surrender to the guru. In the Bhagavad-gétä (18.66) Kåñëa instructs: ...”Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” Someone may argue, “Where is Kåñëa? I shall surrender to Him.” But no, the process is that we first surrender to Kåñëa’s representative; then we surrender to Kåñëa. Therefore it is said, säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù: the guru is as good as God. When we offer respects to the guru, we are offering respects to God. Because we are trying to be God conscious, it is required that we learn how to offer respects to God through God’s representative. In all the çästras the guru is described to be as good as God, but the guru never says, “I am God.” The disciple’s duty is to offer respect to the guru just as he offers respect to God, but the guru never thinks, “My disciples are offering me the same respect they offer to God; therefore I have become God.” As soon as 49

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he thinks like this, he becomes a dog instead of God. Therefore Viçvanätha Cakravarté says, kintu prabhor yaù priya eva tasya. Because he is the most confidential servitor of God, the guru is offered the same respect that we offer God. God is always God, guru is always guru. As a matter of etiquette, God is the worshipable God, and guru is the worshiper God (sevaka-bhagavän). Therefore the guru is addressed as prabhupäda. The word prabhu means “lord,” and päda means “position.” Thus prabhupäda means “he who has taken the position of the Lord.” The Science of Self-Realization The spiritual master, who is the best of the brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas, is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: My dear King, of all persons a qualified brähmaëa must be accepted as the best within this material world because such a brähmaëa, by practicing austerity, Vedic studies and satisfaction, becomes the counterpart body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT: From the Vedas we learn that the Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person. Every living entity is an individual person, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, is the Supreme Person. A brähmaëa who is well versed in Vedic knowledge and fully conversant with transcendental matters becomes a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one should worship such a brähmaëa or Vaiñëava. A Vaiñëava is superior to a brähmaëa because whereas a brähmaëa knows that he is Brahman, not matter, a Vaiñëava knows that he is not only Brahman but also an eternal servant of the Supreme Brahman. Therefore, worship of a Vaiñëava is superior to worship of the Deity in the temple. Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura says, säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù: in all the scriptures the spiritual master, who is the best of the brähmaëas, the best of the Vaiñëavas, is considered to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.14.41 The spiritual master is called äçraya-vigraha, or the manifestation of the Lord of whom one must take shelter: Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore in the dealings of an äcärya there are no activities but those of transcendental loving service to the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who is called äçraya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46 One should respect as God, and serve, the servants of God: The servants of God are to be respected as God by the devotees who actually want to go back to Godhead. Such servants of God are called mahätmäs, or térthas, and they preach according to particular time and place. The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord.... The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.16 The oneness of the spiritual master with the Personality of Godhead exists in terms of his being very dear to the Lord: The bona fide spiritual master always engages in unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By this test he is known to be a direct manifestation of the Lord and a genuine representative of Çré Nityänanda Prabhu.... The real Vedic philosophy is acintya-bhedäbheda-tattva, which establishes everything to be simultaneously one with and different from the Personality of Godhead. 50

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Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé confirms that this is the real position of a bona fide spiritual master and says that one should always think of the spiritual master in terms of his intimate relationship with Mukunda (Çré Kåñëa). Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, in his Bhakti-sandarbha (213), has clearly defined that a pure devotee’s observation of the spiritual master and Lord Çiva as one with the Personality of Godhead exists in terms of their being very dear to the Lord, not identical with Him in all respects. Following in the footsteps of Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé and Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, later äcäryas like Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura have confirmed the same truths. In his prayers to the spiritual master, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura confirms that all the revealed scriptures accept the spiritual master to be identical with the Personality of Godhead because he is a very dear and confidential servant of the Lord. Gauòéya Vaiñëavas therefore worship Çréla Gurudeva (the spiritual master) in the light of his being the servitor of the Personality of Godhead. In all the ancient literatures of devotional service and in the more recent songs of Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura and other unalloyed Vaiñëavas, the spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Çrématé Rädhäräëé or a manifested representation of Çréla Nityänanda Prabhu. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46 The Lord’s representative, the guru, is as good as the Lord Himself because he speaks only what is spoken by the Lord: One should adopt the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described here as guror guruù, the spiritual master of all other spiritual masters. Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord’s representative is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘kåñëa’-upadeça: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Kåñëa. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Kåñëa as guru. This is the guru-paramparä system. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.24.48 Because the spiritual master transmits Kåñëa’s instructions without change, he is the same as the Personality of Godhead: Bhagavad-gétä, which constitutes the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is presented by the spiritual master as it is, without deviation. Therefore the Absolute Truth is present in the spiritual master. As clearly stated in text SB 7.15.26, jïäna-dépa-prade. The Supreme Personality of Godhead gives real knowledge to the entire world, and the spiritual master, as the representative of the Supreme Godhead, carries the message throughout the world. Therefore, on the absolute platform, there is no difference between the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.15.27 The spiritual master is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he represents the Lord by giving knowledge to others: I consider your good self the most exalted master of mystic power. You know the spiritual science perfectly well. You are the most exalted of all learned sages, and you have descended for the benefit of all human society. You have come to give spiritual knowledge, and you are a direct representative of Kapiladeva, the incarnation of God and the plenary portion of knowledge. I am therefore asking you, O spiritual master, what is the most secure shelter in this world? PURPORT: Although Jaòa Bharata was an ordinary living entity, he had inherited all the knowledge given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kapiladeva. He could therefore be taken directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed by Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura in his stanzas to the spiritual master: säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù. An exalted personality like Jaòa Bharata is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he fully represents the Lord by giving knowl51

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edge to others. Jaòa Bharata is herein accepted as the direct representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he was imparting knowledge on behalf of the Supreme Lord. Therefore Mahäräja Rahügaëa concluded that it was appropriate to ask him about ätma-tattva, the spiritual science. Tadvijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This Vedic injunction is also confirmed herein. If anyone is at all interested in knowing the spiritual science (brahma-jijïäsä), he must approach a guru like Jaòa Bharata. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.10.19 The spiritual master, who acts on behalf of the Supreme Lord, is as good as the Supreme Lord: The representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who acts to spread Kåñëa consciousness is also guided by the Supreme Lord to act properly in executing the Lord’s order. Such a person may appear to be an ordinary human being, but because he acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme spiritual master, he is not to be neglected as ordinary. It is therefore said, äcäryaà mäà vijänéyät [SB 11.17.27]: an äcärya who acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be understood to be as good as the Supreme Lord Himself.... Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura has advised that the spiritual master acting on the Supreme Lord’s behalf must be worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Lord, for he is the Lord’s most confidential servant in broadcasting the Lord’s message for the benefit of the conditioned souls involved in the material world. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.24.46 The guru acts as a representative of Kåñëa: Human life is meant for understanding our situation, and we should take instructions from Bhagavadgétä. Arjuna is personally teaching us by accepting Kåñëa as his guru. He asks Kåñëa to become his spiritual master and teach him. The lessons given by Çré Kåñëa are not simply meant for Arjuna but for everyone. Kåñëa tells us in Bhagavad-gétä that we should search out a guru. The first guru is Çré Kåñëa Himself, and whoever represents Çré Kåñëa is also a guru. If I am a businessman, and someone goes to canvass for my business and takes orders for me, he is my representative. If he simply says that he is my representative and yet takes some orders but uses the money for something else, he is not really my representative. Kåñëa’s representative does not say, “I have become Kåñëa.” Such a person is neither a representative nor a guru. He is simply a cheater. Kåñëa’s representative is one who canvasses for Kåñëa. Kåñëa says, “Give up everything and surrender unto Me.” Kåñëa’s representative says, “Give up everything and simply surrender unto Kåñëa.” This is certainly not very difficult to understand. Anyone can become Kåñëa’s representative. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti The pure devotee spiritual master is the representative of the Lord and is honored equally with the Lord: To take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord means to take shelter of the pure devotees. The pure devotees whose only business is serving are honored by the names Prabhupäda and Viñëupäda, which indicate such devotees to be representatives of the lotus feet of the Lord. Anyone, therefore, who takes shelter of the lotus feet of a pure devotee by accepting the pure devotee as his spiritual master can be at once purified. Such devotees of the Lord are honored equally with the Lord because they are engaged in the most confidential service of the Lord, for they deliver out of the material world the fallen souls whom the Lord wants to return home, back to Godhead. Such pure devotees are better known as vicelords according to revealed scriptures. The sincere disciple of the pure devotee considers the spiritual master equal to the Lord, but always considers himself to be a humble servant of the servant of the Lord [Cc. Mad 13.80]. This is the pure devotional path. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.15 52

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The spiritual master should be respected like the Supreme Personality of Godhead; when seen, one should offer obeisances: As it is said by Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù: a spiritual master or the paramparä-äcärya should be respected exactly like the Supreme Personality of Godhead.... Whenever an äcärya is seen, one should immediately bow down before him. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.22.4 The disciple should accept the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: The disciple accepts the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.... Since the spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord, he should be treated exactly like the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master should never be neglected or disobeyed, like an ordinary person. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.43 It is the duty of the disciple to respect the spiritual master as much as God: Ms. Nixon: You have said that you are not God, and yet it appears to me, as an outsider, that your devotees treat you as if you were God. Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, that is their duty. Because the spiritual master is executing God’s order, he should be respected as much as God, just as a government officer should be respected as much as the government because he executes the government’s order. Even if an ordinary policeman comes, you have to respect him because he is a government man. But that does not mean he is the government. Säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästrair uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhiù: “The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities.” Ms. Nixon: I also wonder about the many beautiful material things that the devotees bring you. For instance, you left the airport in a beautiful, fancy car. I wonder about this because... Çréla Prabhupäda: That teaches the disciples how to regard the spiritual master as good as God. If you respect the government representative as much as you respect the government, then you must treat him opulently. If you respect the spiritual master as much as God, then you must offer him the same facilities you would offer to God. God travels in a golden car. If the disciples offer the spiritual master an ordinary motorcar, it would not be sufficient because the spiritual master has to be treated like God. If God comes to your home, will you bring him an ordinary motorcar—or will you arrange for a golden car? The Science of Self-Realization One should not accept the spiritual master as an ordinary human being: The Lord helps us by giving us directions how to act in devotional service and thus advance on the path back home, back to Godhead. He instructs us outwardly in the form of the spiritual master. Therefore, one should not accept the spiritual master as an ordinary human being. The Lord says, äcäryaà mäà vijänéyän nävamanyeta karhicit: one should not treat the spiritual master as an ordinary human being because he is the substitute for the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.17.27). One should treat the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and never be envious of him or consider him to be an ordinary human being. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.20.13 As the external manifestation of Kåñëa, the spiritual master is worshiped on the same level as the Lord: Uddhava advised the gopés that they could be saved from the fire of separation by closing their eyes and meditating on the activities of Kåñëa from the very beginning of their association with Him. From 53

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the outside, the gopés could visualize all the pastimes of Kåñëa by hearing the descriptions of Uddhava, and from inside they could remember those pastimes. From the instruction of Uddhava, the gopés could understand that Kåñëa was not separate from them. As they were constantly thinking of Kåñëa, Kåñëa was also thinking of them constantly while at Mathurä. Uddhava’s messages and instructions saved the gopés from immediate death, and the gopés acknowledged the benediction from Uddhava. Uddhava practically acted as the preceptor spiritual master of the gopés, and they in return worshiped him as they would worship Kåñëa. It is recommended in authoritative scriptures that the spiritual master should be worshiped on the level of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of his being His very confidential servitor, and it is accepted by great authorities that the spiritual master is the external manifestation of Kåñëa. The gopés were relieved from their transcendental burning condition by realizing that Kåñëa was with them. Internally, they remembered His association within their hearts, and externally Uddhava helped them to appreciate Kåñëa by conclusive instructions. Kåñëa If the disciple considers the spiritual master, who is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be an ordinary man, his Vedic studies and austerities will have no effect: yasya säkñäd bhagavati jïäna-dépa-prade gurau martyäsad-dhéù çrutaà tasya sarvaà kuïjara-çaucavat The spiritual master should be considered to be directly the Supreme Lord because he gives transcendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being, everything is frustrated. His enlightenment and his Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant. PURPORT: It is recommended that one honor the spiritual master as being on an equal status with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù. This is enjoined in every scripture. Äcäryaà mäà vijänéyät [SB 11.17.27]. One should consider the äcärya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant. An elephant bathes in a lake quite thoroughly, but as soon as it comes on the shore it takes some dust from the ground and strews it over its body. Thus there is no meaning to the elephant’s bath. One may argue by saying that since the spiritual master’s relatives and the men of his neighborhood consider him an ordinary human being, what is the fault on the part of the disciple who considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being? ... If the family members of the spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, consider the spiritual master an ordinary human being, this does not mean that he becomes an ordinary human being. The spiritual master is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one who is very serious about spiritual advancement must regard the spiritual master in this way. Even a slight deviation from this understanding can create disaster in the disciple’s Vedic studies and austerities. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.15.26-27 One who thinks the spiritual master in disciplic succession as an ordinary man is taken to be a resident of hell: arcye viñëau çilä-dhér guruñu nara-matir vaiñëave jäti-buddhir viñëor vä vaiñëavänäà kali-mala-mathane päda-térthe ‘mbu-buddhiù

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çré-viñëor nämni mantre sakala-kaluña-he çabda-sämänya-buddhir viñëau sarveçvareçe tad-itara-sama-dhér yasya vä näraké saù “One who thinks the Deity in the temple to be made of wood or stone, who thinks of the spiritual master in the disciplic succession as an ordinary man, who thinks the Vaiñëava in the acyuta-gotra to belong to a certain caste or creed, or who thinks of caraëämåta or Ganges water as ordinary water, is taken to be a resident of hell.” Padma Puräëa cited: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.21.12 One is forbidden to think the äcärya an ordinary human being: It is said, täìra väkya, kriyä, mudrä vijïeha nä bujhaya [Cc Mad 23.39]. Even if a man is very advanced in learning, he cannot understand the behavior of a Vaiñëava. Anyone can take shelter of a pure Vaiñëava, without fear.... Närada Muni, Haridäsa Öhäkura and similar äcäryas especially empowered to broadcast the glories of the Lord cannot be brought down to the material platform. Therefore one is strictly forbidden to think that the äcärya is an ordinary human being (guruñu nara-matiù). Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.7.14 The empowered spiritual master, invested by Kåñëa with power of attorney, can act independently: After hearing this, Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya asked Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, “Why did Éçvara Puré keep a servant who comes from a çüdra family?” Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, Éçvara Puré, are completely independent. Therefore the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Éçvara Puré is not subjected to any Vedic rules and regulations.” PURPORT: Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya here asked Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu why Éçvara Puré accepted a disciple from a çüdra family. According to the småti-çästra, which gives directions for the management of the varëäçrama institution, a brähmaëa cannot accept a disciple from the lower castes. In other words, a kñatriya, vaiçya or çüdra cannot be accepted as a servant. If a spiritual master accepts such a person, he is contaminated. Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya therefore asked why Éçvara Puré accepted a servant or disciple born of a çüdra family. In answer to this, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied that His spiritual master, Éçvara Puré, was so empowered that he was as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As such, Éçvara Puré was the spiritual master of the whole world. He was not a servant to any mundane rule or regulation. An empowered spiritual master like Éçvara Puré can bestow his mercy upon anyone, irrespective of caste or creed. The conclusion is that an empowered spiritual master is authorized by Kåñëa and should be considered to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. That is the verdict of Viçvanätha Cakravarté: säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù. An authorized spiritual master is as good as Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If Hari is free to act as He likes, the empowered spiritual master is also free. As Hari is not subject to the criticism of mundane rules and regulations, the spiritual master empowered by Him is also not subjected. According to Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya-lélä 7.11): kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe tära pravartana. An authorized spiritual master empowered by Kåñëa can spread the glories of the holy name of the Lord, for he has power of attorney from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the mundane world, anyone possessing his master’s power of attorney can act on behalf of his master. Similarly, a spiritual master empowered by Kåñëa through his bona fide spiritual master should be considered as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 10.136-37

The eternal identity of the spiritual master The spiritual master’s eternal identity and occupation: Every living entity is eternally a servant of Çré Kåñëa Caitanya; therefore the spiritual master cannot 55

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be other than a servant of Lord Caitanya. The spiritual master’s eternal occupation is to expand the service of the Lord by training disciples in a service attitude. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.44 The spiritual master is considered either one of the confidential associates of Rädhäräëé or a manifested representation of Nityänanda: In his prayers to the spiritual master, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura confirms that all the revealed scriptures accept the spiritual master to be identical with the Personality of Godhead because he is a very dear and confidential servant of the Lord. Gauòéya Vaiñëavas therefore worship Çréla Gurudeva (the spiritual master) in the light of his being the servitor of the Personality of Godhead. In all the ancient literatures of devotional service and in the more recent songs of Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura and other unalloyed Vaiñëavas, the spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Çrématé Rädhäräëé or a manifested representation of Çréla Nityänanda Prabhu. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46 The spiritual master as an associate of the gopés: nikuïja-yüno rati-keli-siddhyai yä yälibhir yuktir apekñaëéyä taträti-däkñyäd ati-vallabhasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam “The spiritual master is very dear because he is expert in assisting the gopés, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Rädhä and Kåñëa’s conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Våndävana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.” Çré Çré-gurv-añöaka Verse 6 Çréla Visvanatha Cakravarté Öhäkura

The difference between the spiritual master and the Lord The difference between the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead: The spiritual master is called sevaka-bhagavän, the servitor Personality of Godhead, and Kåñëa is called sevya-bhagavän, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is to be worshiped. The spiritual master is the worshiper God, whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, is the worshipable God. This is the difference between the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.15.27 The spiritual master is the jéva-tattva servitor of the Lord: In Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi-lélä 5.142) it is said, ekale éçvara kåñëa, ära saba bhåtya: the only supreme master is Kåñëa, and all others, both viñëu-tattva and jéva-tattva, engage in the service of the Lord. Both the viñëu-tattva (as Nityänanda Prabhu and Advaita) and the jéva-tattva (çréväsädi-gaura-bhakta-vånda) engage in the service of the Lord, but one must distinguish between the viñëu-tattva servitors and the jéva-tattva servitors. The jéva-tattva servitor, the spiritual master, is actually the servitor God. As explained in previous verses, in the absolute world there are no such differences, yet one must observe these differences in order to distinguish the Supreme from His subordinates. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.14

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The Qualifications and Characteristics of the Spiritual Master The spiritual master strictly follows the principle of disciplic succession and of scripture The knowledge received from the guru descends from the Lord Himself through disciplic succession: The transcendental knowledge of the Vedas was first uttered by God to Brahmä, the creator of this particular universe. From Brahmä the knowledge descended to Närada, from Närada to Vyäsadeva, from Vyäsadeva to Madhva, and in this process of disciplic succession the transcendental knowledge was transmitted by one disciple to another till it reached Lord Gauräìga, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, who posed as the disciple and successor of Çré Éçvara Puré. The present Äcäryadeva is the tenth disciplic representative from Çré Rüpa Gosvämé, the original representative of Lord Caitanya who preached this transcendental tradition in its fullness. The knowledge that we receive from our Gurudeva is not different from that imparted by God Himself and the succession of the äcäryas in the preceptorial line of Brahmä. We adore this auspicious day as Çré Vyäsa-püjä-tithi because the Äcärya is the living representative of Vyäsadeva, the divine compiler of the Vedas, the Puräëas, the Bhagavad-gétä, the Mahäbhärata and the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The Science of Self-Realization If one follows the system of disciplic succession, one can become a guru for the whole world: If we receive knowledge from an ordinary man, there will be many defects. An ordinary person is subject to illusion, and he also has the tendency to cheat. Although an ordinary person may be a very advanced scholar, he does not possess perfect knowledge. Perfection is something totally different from what we find in the material world. Perfection means that there is no mistake, no illusion, no cheating, no imperfection. Therefore it is stated bhagavän uväca, for Bhagavän is all-perfect. We should therefore take knowledge from Bhagavän or from one who speaks according to the version of Bhagavän. The Kåñëa consciousness movement is based on this principle. We are not presenting anything that we ourselves could manufacture. Whatever we manufacture is sure to be defective or deficient. What is the value of my philosophy? What is the value of my thought? Generally, people say, “In my opinion,” thinking that “my opinion” really means something. People do not think, “I am simply a rascal.” People value their opinion, thinking it something very big. Everyone in this material world has imperfect senses; therefore whatever knowledge has been gathered through the senses is necessarily imperfect. As we have stressed over and over, we have to receive knowledge from the disciplic succession. Knowledge has to be received from Bhagavän, the perfect one. If we simply follow this system, we can become a guru for the whole world.... It is not difficult to become a guru, provided that we repeat what Kåñëa says. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti The guru is one, because he does not speak differently from his predecessors in disciplic succession: The Vedas enjoin us to seek out a guru; actually, they say to seek out the guru, not just a guru. The guru is one because he comes in disciplic succession. What Vyäsadeva and Kåñëa taught five thousand years ago is also being taught now. There is no difference between the two instructions. Although hundreds and thousands of äcäryas have come and gone, the message is one. The real guru cannot be two, for the real guru does not speak differently from his predecessors. Some spiritual teachers say, “In my opinion you should do this,” but this is not a guru. Such so-called gurus are simply rascals. The genuine guru has only one opinion, and that is the opinion expressed by Kåñëa, Vyäsadeva, Närada, Arjuna, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and the Gosvämés. Five thousand years ago Lord Çré Kåñëa spoke the Bhagavad-gétä, and Vyäsadeva recorded it. Çréla Vyäsadeva did not say, “This is my opinion.” Rather, he wrote, çré-bhagavän uväca, that is, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead says.” Whatever Vyäsadeva wrote was originally spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çréla Vyäsadeva did not give his own opinion. Consequently, Çréla Vyäsadeva is a guru. He does not misinterpret the words of Kåñëa, but transmits them exactly as they were spoken. If we send a telegram, the person who delivers the telegram does not 57

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have to correct it, edit it, or add to it. He simply presents it. That is the guru’s business. The guru may be this person or that, but the message is the same; therefore it is said that guru is one. The Science of Self-Realization The guru is one, but appears in an infinity of forms; the principle of guru is universal and nonsectarian: Gentlemen, the offering of such an homage as has been arranged this evening to the Äcäryadeva is not a sectarian concern, for when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva, or äcäryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There does not arise any question of discriminating my guru from yours or anyone else’s. There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me, and all others. The guru, or äcäryadeva, as we learn from the bona fide scriptures, delivers the message of the absolute world, the transcendental abode of the Absolute Personality, where everything nondifferentially serves the Absolute Truth. We have heard so many times: mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù [Cc Mad 17.186] (“Traverse the trail which your previous äcärya has passed”), but we have hardly tried to understand the real purport of this çloka. If we scrutinizingly study this proposition, we understand that the mahäjana is one, and the royal road to the transcendental world is also one. In the Muëòaka Upaniñad (1.2.12) it is said: tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet samit-päëiù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham “In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Truth.” Thus it has been enjoined herewith that in order to receive that transcendental knowledge, one must approach the guru. Therefore, if the Absolute Truth is one, about which we think there is no difference of opinion, the guru also cannot be two. The Äcäryadeva for whom we have assembled tonight to offer our humble homage is not the guru of a sectarian institution or one out of many differing exponents of the truth. On the contrary, he is the Jagad-guru, or the guru of all of us; the only difference is that some obey him wholeheartedly, while others do not obey him directly. The Science of Self-Realization By following in the disciplic succession from Çré Kåñëa, accepting Kåñëa as the supreme authority, one can become a guru: This Kåñëa consciousness philosophy is very easy because we do not manufacture ideas. We take the ideas and the words delivered by the Supreme Person, Kåñëa, or His incarnation or representative. His representative does not say anything which Kåñëa Himself does not say. It is very easy to be a representative, but one cannot be a representative of Kåñëa if one tries to interpret Kåñëa’s words in a whimsical way. There is no authority superior to Çré Kåñëa, and if we stick to this principle, we can become gurus. We don’t need to change our position to become a guru. All we have to do is follow in the disciplic succession stemming from Çré Kåñëa. Caitanya Mahäprabhu has advised: ämära äjïäya guru haïä tara’ ei deça (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 7.128). Caitanya Mahäprabhu instructed people to learn from Him and then go teach people within their own villages. One may think, “I am illiterate and have no education. I was not born in a very high family. How can I become a guru?” Caitanya Mahäprabhu says that it is not very difficult. Yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘kåñëa’-upadeça: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] “Simply speak whatever Kåñëa speaks. Then you become a guru.” Whoever speaks what Kåñëa has not spoken is not a guru but a rascal. A guru only speaks what Kåñëa has spoken. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti

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The spiritual master is a representative of Vyäsadeva and is a gosvämé: One day, after finishing their morning duties by burning a sacrificial fire and offering a seat of esteem to Çréla Süta Gosvämé, the great sages made inquiries, with great respect, about the following matters. PURPORT: The great sages offered the speaker of the Bhägavatam an elevated seat of respect called the vyäsäsana, or the seat of Çréla Vyäsadeva. Çré Vyäsadeva is the original spiritual preceptor for all men. And all other preceptors are considered to be his representatives. A representative is one who can exactly present the viewpoint of Çré Vyäsadeva. Çré Vyäsadeva impregnated the message of Bhägavatam unto Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé, and Çré Süta Gosvämé heard it from him (Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé). All bona fide representatives of Çré Vyäsadeva in the chain of disciplic succession are to be understood to be gosvämés. These gosvämés restrain all their senses, and they stick to the path made by the previous äcäryas. The gosvämés do not deliver lectures on the Bhägavatam capriciously. Rather, they execute their services most carefully, following their predecessors who delivered the spiritual message unbroken to them. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.5 The process of devotional service must be received through the bona fide Vedic system of paramparä: Çré Kaçyapa Muni said: When I desired offspring, I placed inquiries before Lord Brahmä, who is born from a lotus flower. Now I shall explain to you the same process Lord Brahmä instructed me, by which Keçava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is satisfied. PURPORT: Kaçyapa Muni wanted to instruct Aditi in the same process recommended to him by Brahmä for satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is valuable. The guru does not manufacture a new process to instruct the disciple. The disciple receives from the guru an authorized process received by the guru from his guru. This is called the system of disciplic succession (evaà paramparäpräptam imaà rajarñayo viduù [Bg. 4.2]). This is the bona fide Vedic system of receiving the process of devotional service, by which the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased. Therefore, to approach a bona fide guru, or spiritual master, is essential. The bona fide spiritual master is he who has received the mercy of his guru, who in turn is bona fide because he has received the mercy of his guru. This is called the paramparä system. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.16.24 The words of the spiritual master are the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the paramparä system: ‘’I cannot properly describe the discourses of Rämänanda Räya, for he is not an ordinary human being. He is fully absorbed in the devotional service of the Lord. There is one other thing Rämänanda Räya said to me. ‘Do not consider me the speaker in these talks about Kåñëa. Whatever I speak is personally spoken by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Like a stringed instrument, I vibrate whatever He causes me to speak. In this way the Lord speaks through my mouth to preach the cult of Kåñëa consciousness. Within the world, who will understand this pastime of the Lord?’” PURPORT: One is forbidden to accept the guru, or spiritual master, as an ordinary human being (guruñu nara-matiù).... A spiritually advanced person who acts with authority, as the spiritual master, speaks as the Supreme Personality of Godhead dictates from within. Thus it is not he that is personally speaking. When a pure devotee or spiritual master speaks, what he says should be accepted as having been directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the paramparä system. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 5.71-74 The spiritual master does not deviate from the instructions of the Supreme Lord in disciplic succession: A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord as they were imparted millions of years ago to the sungod. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 4.42 59

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One cannot be a bona fide spiritual master unless he has received transcendental knowledge through disciplic succession: Vedic transcendental knowledge descends directly from the Personality of Godhead. By His mercy, Brahmä, the first living being in the universe, was enlightened, and from Brahmäjé, Närada was enlightened, and from Närada, Vyäsa was enlightened. Çukadeva Gosvämé received such transcendental knowledge directly from his father, Vyäsadeva. Thus the knowledge, being received from the chain of disciplic succession, is perfect. One cannot be a spiritual master in perfection unless and until one has received the same by disciplic succession. That is the secret of receiving transcendental knowledge. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.8.25 The two qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master—çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham: The Upaniñads inform us that the guru is one who has received knowledge by hearing the Vedas. Çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham [MU 1.2.12]. The Vedas are called çruti, and the bona fide guru is in the line of hearing from the disciplic succession. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (4.2), evaà paramparä-präptam. A bona fide guru does not impart some self-styled, concocted knowledge; his knowledge is standard and received from the paramparä system. He is also firmly fixed in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (brahma-niñöham). These are his two qualifications: he must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession, and he must be established in service to the Supreme Lord. He does not have to be a very learned scholar, but he must have heard from the proper authority. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti The bona fide spiritual master repeats what he has heard from the disciplic succession: There is a standard for bona fide spiritual masters.... Who is the spiritual master? That is the next line: çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham [MU 1.2.12]. The word çrotriyam refers to one who has heard from another bona fide source. A spiritual master is he who has taken the message from another qualified spiritual master. This is just like a medical man who has taken the knowledge of medical science from another medical man. Similarly, the bona fide spiritual master must come in a line of successive spiritual masters. The original spiritual master is God.... One who has heard from God explains the same message to his disciples. If the disciple doesn’t change the message, he is a bona fide spiritual master. The Science of Self-Realization A bona fide spiritual master is so not due to heredity, but due to following the principle of paramparä: Hiraëyakaçipu was extremely angry and wanted to rebuke his son for deriding his teacher or spiritual master, who had been born in the brähmaëa family of the great äcärya Çukräcärya. The word çukra means “semen,” and äcärya refers to a teacher or guru. Hereditary gurus, or spiritual masters, have been accepted everywhere since time immemorial, but Prahlada Mahäräja declined to accept such a seminal guru or take instruction from him. An actual guru is çrotriya, one who has heard or received perfect knowledge through paramparä, the disciplic succession. Therefore Prahläda Mahäräja did not recognize a seminal spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.31 As a leader, the spiritual master must follow the principles of scripture: A teacher must follow the principles of çästra (scripture) to reach the common man. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures. The revealed scriptures, like Manusaàhitä and similar others, are considered the standard books to be followed by human society. Thus the leader’s teaching should be based on the principles of the standard rules as they are practiced by the great teachers. The Çrémad-Bhägavatam also affirms that one should follow in the footsteps of great devotees, and that is the way of progress on the path of spiritual realization. The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the school teacher are considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general. All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependents; therefore 60

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they must be conversant with standard books of moral and spiritual codes. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 3.21 The spiritual master in disciplic succession scrupulously follows the conclusions of the revealed Vedic scriptures: On the basis of scriptures like Çrémad-Bhägavatam which reveal these confidential directions, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu instructed Sanätana Gosvämé regarding all the regular activities of a devotee. PURPORT: In the paramparä system, the instructions taken from the bona fide spiritual master must also be based on revealed Vedic scriptures. One who is in the line of disciplic succession cannot manufacture his own way of behavior. There are many so-called followers of the Vaiñëava cult in the line of Caitanya Mahäprabhu who do not scrupulously follow the conclusions of the çästras, and therefore they are considered to be apa-sampradäya, which means “outside of the sampradäya.”... Neither a sädhu (saintly person or Vaiñëava) nor a bona fide spiritual master says anything that is beyond the scope of sanction of the revealed scriptures. Thus the statements of the revealed scriptures correspond to those of the bona fide spiritual master and saintly persons. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.48 What the guru speaks must be confirmed by sädhus (saintly persons) and sästra (authorized scriptures): Sädhu-çästra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sädhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sädhu, çästra and guru. Those statements made in the çästras and those made by the bona fide sädhu or guru cannot differ from one another. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.16.1

Knowledge of the science of Kåñëa (not birth or social position) is the requirement for becoming a spiritual master A person from any varëa or äçrama can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kåñëa: kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya “Whether one is a brähmaëa, a sannyäsé, or a çüdra-regardless of what he is-he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kåñëa.” PURPORT: This verse is very important to the Kåñëa consciousness movement. In his Amåta-pravähabhäñya, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura explains that one should not think that because Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was born a brähmaëa and was situated in the topmost spiritual order as a sannyäsé, it was improper for Him to receive instructions from Çréla Rämänanda Räya, who belonged to the çüdra caste. To clarify this matter, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu informed Rämänanda Räya that knowledge of Kåñëa consciousness is more important than caste. In the system of varëäçrama-dharma there are various duties for the brähmaëas, kñatriyas and çüdras. Actually the brähmaëa is supposed to be the spiritual master of all other varëas or sects, but as far as Kåñëa consciousness is concerned, everyone is capable of becoming a spiritual master because knowledge in Kåñëa consciousness is on the platform of the spirit soul. To spread Kåñëa consciousness, one need only be cognizant of the science of the spirit soul. It does not matter whether one is a brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra, sannyäsé, gåhastha or whatever. If one simply understands this science, he can become a spiritual master.... If one understands the truth of Kåñëa consciousness and seriously desires to attain transcendental knowledge for the perfection of life, he can accept a spiritual master from any social status, provided the spiritual master is fully conversant with the science of Kåñëa. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura also states that although one 61

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is situated as a brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra, brahmacäré, vänaprastha, gåhastha or sannyäsé, if he is conversant in the science of Kåñëa he can become a spiritual master as vartma-pradarçaka-guru, dékñäguru or çikñä-guru.... This injunction given by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is not at all against the injunctions of the çästras. In the Padma Puräëa it is said: na çüdrä bhagavad-bhaktäs te ‘pi bhägavatottamäù sarva-varëeñu te çüdrä ye na bhaktä janärdane One who is actually advanced in spiritual knowledge of Kåñëa is never a çüdra, even though he may have been born in a çüdra family. However, if a vipra or a brähmaëa is very expert in the six brahminical activities (paöhana, päöhana, yajana, yäjana, däna, pratigraha) and is also well versed in the Vedic hymns, he cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a Vaiñëava. But if one is born in the family of caëòälas yet is well versed in Kåñëa consciousness, he can become a guru.... Unless we accept the principle enunciated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, this Kåñëa consciousness movement cannot spread all over the world. According to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s intentions: påthivéte äche yata nagarädi-gräma/ sarvatra pracära haibe mora näma. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s cult must be preached all over the world. This does not mean that people should take to His teachings and remain çüdras or caëòälas. As soon as one is trained as a pure Vaiñëava, he must be accepted as a bona fide brähmana. This is the essence of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s instructions in this verse. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.128 Knowledge of Kåñëa, not birth, qualifies one as a spiritual master: Süta Gosvämé did not take his birth in a brähmaëa family. He was born in a family of mixed caste, or an uncultured low family. But because of higher association, like Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé and the great åñis of Naimiñäraëya, certainly the disqualification of inferior birth was washed off. Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu followed this principle in pursuance of the Vedic usages, and by His transcendental association He elevated many lowborn, or those disqualified by birth or action, to the status of devotional service and established them in the position of äcäryas, or authorities. He clearly states that any man, whatever he may be, whether a brähmaëa or çüdra by birth, or a householder or mendicant in the order of society, if he is conversant with the science of Kåñëa, he can be accepted as an äcärya or guru, a spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.18.18 Transcendental knowledge, not birth, qualifies one as a spiritual master: Vidura, born in the womb of a çüdra woman, was forbidden even to be a party of royal heritage with his brothers Dhåtaräñöra and Päëòu. Then how could he occupy the post of a preacher to instruct such learned kings and kñatriyas as Dhåtaräñöra and Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira? The first answer is that even though it is accepted that he was a çüdra by birth, because he renounced the world for spiritual enlightenment by the authority of Åñi Maitreya and was thoroughly educated by him in transcendental knowledge, he was quite competent to occupy the post of an äcärya, or spiritual preceptor. According to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, anyone who is conversant in the transcendental knowledge, or the science of Godhead, be he a brähmaëa or a çüdra, a householder or a sannyäsé, is eligible to become a spiritual master. Even in the ordinary moral codes (maintained by Cäëakya Paëòita, the great politician and moralist) there is no harm in taking lessons from a person who may be by birth less than a çüdra. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.13.15 62

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Regardless of social position, if one is advanced in Kåñëa consciousness, he may become a spiritual master: Cäëakya Paëòita advises, nécäd apy uttamaà jïänam: one may accept education from a member of a lower social order. The brähmaëas, the members of the most elevated varëa, are teachers, but a person in a lower family, such as a family of kñatriyas, vaiçyas or even çüdras, may be accepted as a teacher if he has knowledge. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu approved of this when He expressed this opinion before Rämänanda Räya (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.128): kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya/ yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya. It does not matter whether one is a brähmaëa, çüdra, gåhastha or sannyäsé. These are all material designations. A spiritually advanced person has nothing to do with such designations. Therefore, if one is advanced in the science of Kåñëa consciousness, regardless of his position in human society, he may become a spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.7.33 Knowledge of the science of Kåñëa, not material identity, is the qualification to become a guru: Being the wife of a great yogé, Devahüti understood her constitutional position; therefore she is placing her problem before her son, Kapiladeva, an incarnation of God. Although Kapiladeva is her son, Devahüti does not hesitate to take instructions from Him. She does not say, “Oh, He is my son. What can He tell me? I am His mother, and I shall instruct Him.” Instruction has to be taken from one who is in knowledge. It doesn’t matter what his position is, whether he is a son, a boy, a çüdra, brähmaëa, sannyäsé or gåhastha. One should simply learn from one who knows.... This is Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s teaching. Whoever is qualified in Kåñëa consciousness can become a guru. His family or material identity does not matter. He simply must know the science. When we consult an engineer, a doctor or a lawyer, we do not ask whether he is a brähmaëa or a çüdra. If he is qualified, he can help with a particular subject. Similarly, if one knows the science of Kåñëa, he can be a guru. Devahüti was taking lessons from her son because He knew the science of Kåñëa.... Thus it is not birth that is important, but qualification. Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted everyone in India to know the science of Kåñëa and preach Kåñëa consciousness. This is very simple. We need only repeat what Kåñëa has said or what has been said about Kåñëa in the Vedic literatures. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti Knowledge of the science of Kåñëa, not birth or social position, is the qualification to become a bona fide spiritual master: Whatever position one may have, if he is fully conversant with the science of Kåñëa, Kåñëa consciousness, he can become a bona fide spiritual master, initiator or teacher of the science. In other words, one can become a bona fide spiritual master if he has sufficient knowledge of the science of Kåñëa, Kåñëa consciousness. The position does not depend on a particular position in society or on birth. This is the conclusion of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and it is in accordance with the Vedic injunctions. On the strength of this conclusion, Lord Caitanya, previously known as Visvambhara, accepted a spiritual master, Éçvara Puré, who was a sannyäsé. Similarly, Lord Nityänanda Prabhu and Çré Advaita Äcärya also accepted another sannyäsé as Their spiritual master, Mädhavendra Puré.... Similarly, another great äcärya, Çré Rasikänanda, accepted Çré Çyämänanda as his spiritual master, although he was not born of a brähmaëa family. So also Gangä-näräyaëa Cakravarté accepted Narottama däsa Öhäkura as spiritual master. In ancient days there was even a hunter named Dharma, who become a spiritual master for many people.... All çästric injunctions, as well as the versions of great sages and authorities, establish that a bona fide spiritual master is not necessarily a brähmaëa. The only qualification is that he be conversant with the science of Kåñëa, Kåñëa consciousness. That alone makes one perfectly eligible to become a spiritual master. This is the conclusion of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in His discussions with Rämänanda Räya. Teachings of Lord Caitanya

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The Hari-bhakti-viläsa injunction to accept a bona fide brähmaëa spiritual master before a bona fide çüdra spiritual master is only applicable to those who consider social status more important than spiritual status: In the Hari-bhakti-viläsa it is stated that if one bona fide spiritual master is born in a brähmaëa family and another, who is also qualified, is born in a çüdra family, one should accept the one who is born in a brähmaëa family. This statement serves as a social compromise, but it has nothing to do with spiritual understanding. This injunction is only applicable for those who consider social status more important than spiritual status. It is not for people who are spiritually serious. A serious person would accept Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s instruction that anyone-regardless of his position-conversant with Kåñëa science must be accepted as the spiritual master. Teachings of Lord Caitanya A spiritual master must know the conclusion of the Vedas—the science of Kåñëa: The main qualification of a brähmaëa is to be inclined to the Vedic wisdom.... A real brähmaëa is the natural teacher or spiritual master. Unless one has Vedic knowledge, one cannot become a spiritual master. The perfect knowledge of the Vedas is to know the Lord, the Personality of Godhead, and that is the end of Vedic knowledge, or Vedänta. One who is situated in the impersonal Brahman and has information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead may become a brähmaëa, but he cannot become a spiritual master. It is said in the Padma Puräëa: ñaö-karma-nipuëo vipro mantra-tantra-viçäradaù avaiñëavo gurur na syäd vaiñëavaù çva-paco guruù An impersonalist can become a qualified brähmaëa, but he cannot become a spiritual master unless and until he is promoted to the stage of a Vaiñëava, or a devotee of the Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya, the great authority of Vedic wisdom in the modern age, stated: kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya yei kåsëa-tattva-vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya A person may be a brähmaëa or a çüdra or a sannyäsé, but if he happens to be well versed in the science of Kåñëa, then he is fit to become a spiritual master. (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.128) The qualification, then, of a spiritual master is not to be a qualified brähmaëa, but to be well versed in the science of Kåñëa. One who is conversant with Vedic wisdom is a brähmaëa. And only a brähmaëa who is a pure Vaiñëava and knows all the intricacies of the science of Kåñëa can become a spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.6.30

The spiritual master must be learned in the Vedic literature The spiritual master must be well versed in Vedic literature: The sages said: ... You are well versed in all the scriptures famous for religious life, and in the Puräëas and the histories as well, for you have gone through them under proper guidance and have also explained them. PURPORT: [The spiritual master must] be well versed in all revealed scriptures or in the Vedas. The Puräëas are also parts of the Vedas. And histories like the Mahäbhärata or Rämäyaëa are also parts of the Vedas. The äcärya or the gosvämé must be well acquainted with all these literatures. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.6 64

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The spiritual master must be well versed in the authorized scriptures (and thus be able to answer all the disciple’s inquiries): In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Mahäräja Parékñit, he must still inquire from the realized spiritual master all about this. In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees. Thus one who is not well versed in the authorized scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver his disciple. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.8.7 To be accepted as an äcärya, one must understand Vedänta-sütra: According to the Vedic system, the äcärya must understand Vedänta-sütra (also called Brahma-sütra) before he can be accepted as an äcärya. Both the Mäyäväda sampradäya and the Vaiñëava sampradäya have explained the Vedänta-sütra. Without understanding Vedänta-sütra, one cannot understand Brahman. Teachings of Lord Caitanya One must be conversant in all systems of philosophy to sit on the vyäsäsana: Being the eldest learned Vedäntist, O Süta Gosvämé, you are acquainted with the knowledge of Vyäsadeva, who is the incarnation of Godhead, and you also know other sages who are fully versed in all kinds of physical and metaphysical knowledge. PURPORT: Besides Vyäsadeva, there are other sages who are the authors of six different philosophical systems, namely Gautama, Kaëäda, Kapila, Pataïjali, Jaimini and Añöävakra. Theism is explained completely in the Vedänta-sütra, whereas in other systems of philosophical speculations, practically no mention is given to the ultimate cause of all causes. One can sit on the vyäsäsana only after being conversant in all systems of philosophy so that one can present fully the theistic views of the Bhägavatam in defiance of all other systems. Çréla Süta Gosvämé was the proper teacher, and therefore the sages at Naimiñäraëya elevated him to the vyäsäsana. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.7 An äcärya must know Vedänta philosophy: One must know very well that Vaiñëava philosophers are not sentimentalists or cheap devotees like the sahajiyäs. All the Vaiñëava äcäryas were vastly learned scholars who understood Vedänta philosophy fully, for unless one knows Vedänta philosophy he cannot be an äcärya. To be accepted as an äcärya among Indian transcendentalists who follow the Vedic principles, one must become a vastly learned scholar in Vedänta philosophy, either by studying it or hearing it. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.102 The spiritual master is the personification of the Vedas: äcäryo brahmaëo murtiù The äcärya, the spiritual master who teaches all the Vedic knowledge and gives initiation by offering the sacred thread, is the personification of all the Vedas.... Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.7.29 65

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To become a spiritual master, one must be empowered by the Lord and by his own spiritual master Only by the Lord’s order should one become spiritual master, and one should not do so for material motives: [One] should try to cooperate with the Lord in His outward activities for correcting the fallen souls. By His order only, one should become a spiritual master and cooperate with the Lord. One should not become a spiritual master for one’s personal benefit, for some material gain or as an avenue of business or occupation for earning livelihood. Bona fide spiritual masters who look unto the Supreme Lord to cooperate with Him are actually qualitatively one with the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.13.48 Unless one is favored by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in the disciplic succession, one cannot act as a spiritual master: The Lord then replied to the Buddhist disciples: “You should all chant the names of Kåñëa and Hari very loudly near the ear of your spiritual master. By this method your spiritual master will regain his consciousness.” Following Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s advice, all the Buddhist disciples began to chant the holy name of Kåñëa congregationally. When all the disciples chanted the holy names Kåñëa, Räma and Hari, the Buddhist teacher regained consciousness and immediately began to chant the holy name of Lord Hari. PURPORT: Çré Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura comments that all the Buddhist disciples were actually initiated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu to chant the holy name of Kåñëa, and when they chanted, they actually became different persons. At that time they were not Buddhists or atheists but Vaiñëavas. Consequently they immediately accepted Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s order. Their original Kåñëa consciousness was revived, and they were immediately able to chant Hare Kåñëa and begin worshiping the Supreme Lord Viñëu.... One point to note in this regard is that the spiritual master of the Buddhists did not initiate his disciples. Rather, his disciples were initiated by Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and they in turn were able to initiate their so-called spiritual master. This is the paramparä system. The socalled spiritual master of the Buddhists was actually in the position of a disciple, and after his disciples were initiated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, they acted as his spiritual masters. This was possible only because the disciples of the Buddhist äcärya received the mercy of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Unless one is favored by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in the disciplic succession, one cannot act as a spiritual master. We should take the instructions of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the spiritual master of the whole universe, to understand how one becomes a spiritual master and a disciple. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.59-61 By the mercy of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, even a lowborn person can become the spiritual master of the world: According to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s philosophy, yei kåñëa-tattva vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya: [Cc. Madhya 8.128] anyone who knows the science of Kåñëa can become a spiritual master, without reference to whether or not he is a brähmaëa or sannyäsé. Ordinary people cannot understand the essence of çästra, nor can they understand the pure character, behavior and abilities of strict followers of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s principles. The Kåñëa consciousness movement is creating pure, exalted Vaiñëavas even from those born in families considered lower than those of çüdras.... By the grace of the Supreme Lord Viñëu, one can be completely purified, become a preacher of Kåñëa consciousness, and become the spiritual master of the entire world. This principle is accepted in all Vedic literature. Evidence can be quoted from authoritative çästras showing how a lowborn person can become the spiritual master of the entire world. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is to be considered the most munificent personality, for He distributes the real essence of Vedic çästras to anyone who becomes qualified by becoming His sincere servant. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 5.84 66

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Any persons who see Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, even once, become spiritual masters capable of delivering the whole world: stré-bäla-våddha, ära ‘caëòäla’, ‘yavana’ yei tomära eka-bära päya daraçana kåñëa-näma laya, näce haïä unmatta äcärya ha-ila sei, tärila jagata “If even women, children, old men, meat-eaters or members of the lowest caste can see You even once, they immediately chant the holy name of Kåñëa, dance like madmen and become spiritual masters capable of delivering the whole world.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 18.121-22 Without being empowered and favored by Lord Kåñëa, no one can become a spiritual master: Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura comments: “Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Kåñëa to fulfill His desire and without being specifically favored by the Lord, no human being can become the spiritual master of the whole world. He certainly cannot succeed by mental concoction, which is not meant for devotees or religious people.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 25.9 Characteristics of the empowered spiritual master: Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura comments: “Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Kåñëa to fulfill His desire and without being specifically favored by the Lord, no human being can become the spiritual master of the whole world. He certainly cannot succeed by mental concoction, which is not meant for devotees or religious people. Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Kåñëa. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Kåñëa’s effulgence throughout the world. Such an äcärya, or spiritual master, should be considered nondifferent from Kåñëa-that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Kåñëa’s potency. Such a personality is kåñëäliìgita-vigraha-that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa. Such a person is above the considerations of the varëäçrama institution. He is the guru or spiritual master for the entire world, a devotee on the topmost platform, the mahä-bhägavata stage, and a paramahaàsa-öhäkura, a spiritual form only fit to be addressed as paramahaàsa or öhäkura.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 25.9 Without strict obedience to one’s spiritual master, one cannot himself become a bona fide spiritual master: One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a bona fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.43 The bona fide spiritual master is he who has received the mercy of his guru: The bona fide spiritual master is he who has received the mercy of his guru, who in turn is bona fide because he has received the mercy of his guru. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.16.24

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The spiritual master must be a representative of Kåñëa The spiritual master must be a representative of Kåñëa, the original spiritual master: [Kåñëa] is the spiritual master because He originally gave the Vedic instructions to Brahmä, and presently He is also instructing the Bhagavad-gétä to Arjuna; therefore He is the original spiritual master, and any bona fide spiritual master at the present moment must be a descendant in the line of disciplic succession stemming from Kåñëa. Without being a representative of Kåñëa, one cannot become a teacher or spiritual master of transcendental subject matter. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 11.43 The guru must be a representative of Kåñëa: Among all the living entities wandering throughout the universe, one who is most fortunate comes in contact with a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus gets the opportunity to execute devotional service. Those who are sincerely seeking the favor of Kåñëa come in contact with a guru, a bona fide representative of Kåñëa. The Mäyävädés indulging in mental speculation and the karmés desiring the results of their actions cannot become gurus. A guru must be a direct representative of Kåñëa who distributes the instructions of Kåñëa without any change. Thus only the most fortunate persons come in contact with the guru. As confirmed in the Vedic literatures, tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] one has to search out a guru to understand the affairs of the spiritual world. Çrémad-Bhägavatam also confirms this point. Tasmäd guruà prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam: [SB 11.3.21] one who is very interested in understanding the activities in the spiritual world must search out a guru-a bona fide representative of Kåñëa. From all angles of vision, therefore, the word guru is especially meant for the bona fide representative of Kåñëa and no one else. Padma Puräëa states, avaiñëavo gurur na syät: one who is not a Vaiñëava, or who is not a representative of Kåñëa, cannot be a guru. Even the most qualified brähmaëa cannot become a guru if he is not a representative of Kåñëa ... Vaiñëavaù çva-paco guruù: but a Vaiñëava, a bona fide representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu, can become a guru, even if he is çva-paca, a member of a family of dog-eaters. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.17.11 The direction of Kåñëa and His representative, the spiritual master, are one and are free from material reaction: Anything done under the direction of Kåñëa is transcendental. It cannot be contaminated by the material reactions, which may be auspicious or inauspicious.... Therefore if we at all want our activities to be auspicious, then we should work under the directions of the Supreme Lord. Such directions are given in authoritative scripture such as Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Bhagavad-gétä, or from a bona fide spiritual master. Because the spiritual master is the representative of the Supreme Lord, his direction is directly the direction of the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master, saintly persons and scriptures direct in the same way. There is no contradiction in these three sources. All actions done under such direction are free from the reactions of pious and impious activities of this material world. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 10.3

The spiritual master must be a devotee of Kåñëa A spiritual master’s qualification-brahma-niñöham: A spiritual master’s qualification is that he is brahma-niñöham, which means that he has given up all other activities and has dedicated his life to working only for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead If one who does not have an attitude of servitorship to the Lord poses as an äcärya, he is an offender and is disqualified from being an äcärya: If one poses himself as an äcärya but does not have an attitude 68

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of servitorship to the Lord, he must be considered an offender, and this offensive attitude disqualifies him from being an äcärya. The bona fide spiritual master always engages in unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46 The bona fide spiritual master is he who knows the science of, and is completely fixed in, bhakti-yoga: The bona fide spiritual master is he who knows the science of devotional service in disciplic succession. This disciplic succession is called çrotriyam. The prime symptom of one who has become a spiritual master in disciplic succession is that he is one hundred percent fixed in bhakti-yoga. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Only a Vaiñnava can be a guru; the Vaiñëava spiritual master is automatically a brähmaëa: If one is highly qualified but is not a Vaiñëava, he cannot be accepted as a guru. One cannot be a brähmaëa unless one is a Vaiñëava. If one is a Vaiñëava, he is already a brähmaëa. If a guru is completely qualified as a Vaiñëava, he must be accepted as a brähmaëa even if he is not born in a brähmaëa family. The caste system method of distinguishing a brähmaëa by birth is not acceptable when applied to a bona fide spiritual master. A spiritual master is a qualified brähmaëa and äcärya. If one is not a qualified brähmaëa, he is not expert in studying Vedic literatures.... Every Vaiñëava is a spiritual master, and a spiritual master is automatically expert in brahminical behavior. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.330

The spiritual master must be a pure devotee, a mahä-bhägavata, an uttama-adhikäré One cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a pure devotee of the Lord: One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world.... PURPORT: The devotee is always engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Such a person is a true guru. In Padma Puräëa it is said: ñaö-karma-nipuëo vipro mantra-tantra-viçäradaù avaiñëavo gurur na syäd vaiñëavaù çva-paco guruù “Even if a brähmaëa is very learned in Vedic scriptures and knows the six occupational duties of a brähmaëa, he cannot become a guru or spiritual master unless he is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, if one is born in a family of dog-eaters but is a pure devotee of the Lord, he can become a spiritual master.” The conclusion is that one cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a pure devotee of the Lord.... One should therefore take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Success in life means accepting a spiritual master who knows Kåñëa as the only supreme beloved personality. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.29.51 The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service: The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class.... The mahä-bhägavata is one who decorates his body with tilaka and whose name indicates him to be a servant of Kåñëa by the word däsa. He is also initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and is expert in worshiping the Deity, chanting mantras 69

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correctly, performing sacrifices, offering prayers to the Lord, and performing saìkértana. He knows how to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to respect a Vaiñëava. When one has attained the topmost position of mahä-bhägavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.330 Only an uttama-adhikäré can become a spiritual master; symptoms of the uttama-adhikäré: One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikäré.... The uttama-adhikäré, or highest devotee, is one who is very advanced in devotional service. An uttamaadhikäré is not interested in blaspheming others, his heart is completely clean, and he has attained the realized state of unalloyed Kåñëa consciousness. According to Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, the association and service of such a mahä-bhägavata, or perfect Vaiñëava, are most desirable.... Out of many [bona fide] Vaiñëavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kåñëa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiñëava should be accepted as an uttama-adhikäré, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought.... When a person realizes himself to be an eternal servitor of Kåñëa, he loses interest in everything but Kåñëa’s service. Always thinking of Kåñëa, devising means by which to spread the holy name of Kåñëa, he understands that his only business is in spreading the Kåñëa consciousness movement all over the world. Such a person is to be recognized as an uttama-adhikäré, and his association should be immediately accepted according to the six processes (dadäti pratigåhëäti, etc.). Indeed, the advanced uttama-adhikäré Vaiñëava devotee should be accepted as a spiritual master.... Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikäré Vaiñëava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaiñëavism. NOI Text 5 It is better for a disciple to accept an uttama-adhikäré, rather than a kaniñöha- or madhyama-adhikäré, as a spiritual master: One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikäré. A neophyte Vaiñëava or a Vaiñëava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikäré as a spiritual master. NOI Text 5

The spiritual master is a confidential servitor of Kåñëa The spiritual master is engaged in the Lord’s most confidential service of delivering all the conditioned souls: The spiritual master, the servant of God, is engaged in the most confidential service of the Lord, namely delivering all the conditioned souls from the clutches of mäyä. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.11 The guru is the confidential servant of Kåñëa because he tells people to surrender to Kåñëa: Being the most confidential servant of Kåñëa, the guru is very dear to Kåñëa; therefore if he recommends someone to Kåñëa, Kåñëa accepts the person. The guru is the confidential servant of Kåñëa because he canvasses from door to door, saying, “Please become Kåñëa conscious and surrender unto Kåñëa.” Kåñëa tells Arjuna that such a person is very dear to Him. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti 70

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The spiritual master is very dear to Kåñëa because he is prepared to go anywhere to render the confidential service of preaching Krñëa consciousness: The spiritual master is kind in that he begs from door to door, country to country, town to town: “My dear ladies and gentlemen, my dear boys and girls, please take to Kåñëa consciousness.” In this way he renders very confidential service to Kåñëa. Kåñëa is the Supreme Lord who gives the orders, and the spiritual master executes those orders; therefore the spiritual master is very dear to Kåñëa. Whether Kåñëa sends him to heaven or to hell makes no difference to him. For the spiritual master, a pure devotee, heaven and hell are both the same if there is no Kåñëa consciousness. In hell people are suffering in so many ways, and in heaven they are enjoying their senses in so many ways, but a devotee of the Lord can live any place where there is Kåñëa consciousness, and since he brings this consciousness with him, he is always self-satisfied. If he is sent to hell, he will be satisfied simply chanting Hare Kåñëa. In fact, he does not believe in hell but in Kåñëa. Similarly if he were put in heaven, where there are so many opportunities for sense gratification, he would also remain aloof, for his senses are satisfied by Kåñëa Himself. Thus for the service of the Lord a devotee is prepared to go anywhere, and for this reason he is very dear to Kåñëa. The Science of Self-Realization

The spiritual master must be able to free his disciples from birth and death and lead them back to Godhead The spiritual master must be able to save his dependent disciple from birth and death: gurur na sa syät svajano na sa syät pitä na sa syäj janané na sä syät daivaà na tat syän na patiç ca sa syän na mocayed yaù samupeta-måtyum One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod. PURPORT: There are many spiritual masters, but Åñabhadeva advises that one should not become a spiritual master if he is unable to save his disciple from the path of birth and death. Unless one is a pure devotee of Kåñëa, he cannot save himself from the path of repeated birth and death. Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti so ‘rjuna. One can stop birth and death only by returning home, back to Godhead. However, who can go back to Godhead unless he understands the Supreme Lord in truth? Janma karma ca me divyam evaà yo vetti tattvataù [Bg. 4.9]. We have many instances in history illustrating Åñabhadeva’s instructions. Çukräcärya was rejected by Bali Mahäräja due to his inability to save Bali Mahäräja from the path of repeated birth and death. Çukräcärya was not a pure devotee, he was more or less inclined to fruitive activity, and he objected when Bali Mahäräja promised to give everything to Lord Viñëu.... Ordinarily, the spiritual master, husband, father, mother or superior relative accepts worship from an inferior relative, but here Åñabhadeva forbids this. First the father, spiritual master or husband must be able to release the dependent from repeated birth and death. If he cannot do this, he plunges himself into the ocean of reproachment for his unlawful activities. Everyone should be very responsible and take charge of his dependents just as a spiritual master takes charge of his disciple or a father takes charge of his son. All these responsibilities cannot be discharged honestly unless one can save the dependent from repeated birth and death. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.18 One should not become a guru unless he can take the disciple back home, back to Godhead: According to çästra, the duty of the guru is to take the disciple back home, back to Godhead. If he is 71

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unable to do so and instead hinders the disciple in going back to Godhead, he should not be a guru. Gurur na sa syät (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.18). One should not become a guru if he cannot enable his disciple to advance in Kåñëa consciousness. The goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord Kåñëa so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence (tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti so ‘rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). The spiritual master helps the disciple attain this stage by developing Kåñëa consciousness. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.20.1 The spiritual master must be able to lead his disciple back to Godhead: The training of devotional service for a neophyte devotee completely depends on the expert spiritual master who knows how to lead his disciple to make gradual progress towards the path back home, back to Godhead. One should not become a pseudo spiritual master as a matter of business to meet one’s family expenditures; one must be an expert spiritual master to deliver the disciple from the clutches of impending death. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.22 The bona fide spiritual master is one who trains his disciple to worship Väsudeva: Kaçyapa Muni advised his wife to seek shelter at the lotus feet of Väsudeva, Kåñëa, so that all her problems would be very easily solved. Thus Kaçyapa Muni was an ideal spiritual master. He was not so foolish that he would present himself as an exalted personality, as good as God. He was actually a bona fide guru because he advised his wife to seek shelter at the lotus feet of Väsudeva. One who trains his subordinate or disciple to worship Väsudeva is the truly bona fide spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.16.20 The spiritual master must be able to engage his disciple, ultimately, in the devotional service of Lord Kåñëa: A person who may be a spiritual master for others [should not] pose to be so if he is unable to engage his disciple ultimately in the transcendental loving service of Lord Çré Kåñëa. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.13.2

The spiritual master must teach by example The spiritual master must teach by example: Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues. PURPORT: People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. Lord Caitanya said that a teacher should behave properly even before he begins teaching. One who teaches in that way is called äcärya, or the ideal teacher. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 3.21 The spiritual master must teach by example, otherwise no one will follow: Although He has no obligatory duty, still [the Lord] does everything so that others may follow. That is the way of factual teaching; one must act properly himself and teach the same to others, otherwise no one will accept one’s blind teaching. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.10.36 The guru does not instruct his disciples without acting accordingly himself: Thus once upon a time the forefather of living entities and the father of religiousness, Lord Brahmä, situated himself in acts of regulative principles, desiring self-interest for the welfare of all living entities. 72

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PURPORT: One cannot be situated in an exalted position without having undertaken a regulative life of rules and regulations. An unrestricted life of sense gratification is animal life, and Lord Brahmä, in order to teach all concerned within the jurisdiction of his generations, taught the same principles of sense control for executing higher duties. He desired the welfare of all as servants of God, and anyone desiring the welfare of the members of his family and generations must conduct a moral, religious life.... The pure devotees of the Lord, like Brahmä and persons in the chain of disciplic succession, do not do anything to instruct their subordinates without acting accordingly themselves. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.40

The spiritual master must be self-controlled A sober person who can control the six pushing agents is qualified to make disciples all over the world: väco vegaà manasaù krodha-vegaà jihvä-vegam udaropastha-vegam etän vegän yo viñaheta dhéraù sarväm apémäà påthivéà sa çiñyät A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world. NOI Text 1 One who does not have full control over his senses and mind cannot become a spiritual master: A person who has full control over the senses and mind is called a gosvämé or gosäïi. One who does not have such control is called godäsa, or a servant of the senses, and cannot become a spiritual master. A spiritual master who actually has control over the mind and senses is called gosvämé. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.13 Both the guru and the disciple must be self-controlled: One who is not self-controlled, specifically in sex life, can become neither a disciple nor a spiritual master. One must have disciplinary training in controlling speaking, anger, the tongue, the mind, the belly and the genitals. One who has controlled the particular senses mentioned above is called a gosvämé. Without becoming a gosvämé one can become neither a disciple nor a spiritual master. The so-called spiritual master without sense control is certainly the cheater, and the disciple of such a socalled spiritual master is the cheated. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.43

The spiritual master’s body is spiritual The body of the spiritual master is spiritual: The material body certainly consists only of material elements, but when one awakens to Kåñëa conscious understanding, the body is no longer material but spiritual. The material body is meant for sense enjoyment, whereas the spiritual body engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Therefore, a devotee who engages in the service of the Supreme Lord and who constantly thinks of Him should never be considered to have a material body. It is therefore enjoined, guruñu nara-matiù: one should stop thinking of the spiritual master as an ordinary human being with a material body. Arcye viñëau çilä-dhéù: everyone knows that the Deity in the temple is made of stone, but to think that the Deity is merely stone is an offense. Similarly, to think that the body of the spiritual master consists of material ingredients is offensive. Atheists think that devotees foolishly worship a stone statue as God 73

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and an ordinary man as the guru. The fact is, however, that by the grace of Kåñëa’s omnipotence, the so-called stone statue of the Deity is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the body of the spiritual master is directly spiritual. A pure devotee who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service should be understood to be situated on the transcendental platform (sa guëän samatétyaitän brahmabhüyäya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]). Let us therefore offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose mercy so-called material things also become spiritual when they are engaged in spiritual activity. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.3.2 The guru’s body is spiritual and therefore unaffected by material conditions: One who is engaged in the service of the Lord (yato bhaktir adhokñaje [SB 1.2.6]), without impediment and without cessation, is understood to be situated in his original, spiritual status. When one is promoted to this status, one is always happy in transcendental bliss. Otherwise, as long as one is in the bodily concept of life, one must suffer material conditions. Janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi-duùkha-doñänudarçanam [Bg. 13.9]. The body is subject to its own principles of birth, death, old age and disease, but one who is situated in spiritual life (yato bhaktir adhokñaje) has no birth, no death, no old age and no disease. One may argue that we may see a person who is spiritually engaged twenty-four hours a day but is still suffering from disease. In fact, however, he is neither suffering nor diseased; otherwise he could not be engaged twenty-four hours a day in spiritual activities. The example may be given in this connection that sometimes dirty foam or garbage is seen floating on the water of the Ganges. This is called néra-dharma, a function of the water. But one who goes to the Ganges does not mind the foam and dirty things floating in the water. With his hand, he pushes away such nasty things, bathes in the Ganges and gains the beneficial results. Therefore, one who is situated in the spiritual status of life is unaffected by foam and garbage-or any superficial dirty things. This is confirmed by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé: éhä yasya harer däsye karmaëä manasä girä nikhiläsv apy avasthäsu jévan-muktaù sa ucyate “A person acting in the service of Kåñëa with his body, mind and words is a liberated person, even within the material world.” (Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.2.187) Therefore, one is forbidden to regard the guru as an ordinary human being (guruñu nara-matiù ... näraké saù). The spiritual master, or äcärya, is always situated in the spiritual status of life. Birth, death, old age and disease do not affect him. According to the Hari-bhakti-viläsa, therefore, after the disappearance of an äcärya, his body is never burnt to ashes, for it is a spiritual body. The spiritual body is always unaffected by material conditions. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.4.20

The ecstasy of the spiritual master The spiritual master feels ecstasy because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion: mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-géta väditra-mädyan-manaso rasena romäïca-kampäçru-taraìga-bhäjo vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam “Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the saìkértana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels 74

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quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master” Çré Çré-gurv-añöaka Verse 2 (Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura) The spiritual master enjoys transcendental bliss by chanting and dancing: Mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-géta-väditra-mädyan-manaso rasena. The second symptom of the guru is that he is always engaged in chanting, glorifying Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu-that is his business ... the spiritual master enjoys transcendental bliss within his mind by chanting and dancing.... Romäïca-kampäçru-taraìga-bhäjaù. There are sometimes transformations of the body with spiritual symptoms-sometimes crying, sometimes the hairs standing on end. There are so many symptoms. These are natural. These symptoms are not to be imitated, but when one is spiritually advanced, they are visible. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2)

Other important qualifications and characteristics of the spiritual master One who acts according to scripture and at the same time preaches is a bona fide spiritual master: “Some behave very well but do not preach the cult of Kåñëa consciousness, whereas others preach but do not behave properly. You simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world.” PURPORT: Sanätana Gosvämé clearly defines herein the bona fide spiritual master of the world. The qualifications expressed in this connection are that one must act according to the scriptural injunctions and at the same time preach. One who does so is a bona fide spiritual master. Haridäsa Öhäkura was the ideal spiritual master because he regularly chanted on his beads a prescribed number of times. Indeed, he was chanting the holy name of the Lord three hundred thousand times a day. Similarly, the members of the Kåñëa consciousness movement chant a minimum of sixteen rounds a day, which can be done without difficulty, and at the same time they must preach the cult of Caitanya Mahäprabhu according to the gospel of Bhagavad-gétä As It Is. One who does so is quite fit to become a spiritual master for the entire world. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 4.102-3 A genuine guru is one who speaks only about God and tries to get others to become devotees of God: Reporter: How can a person tell he has a genuine guru? Çréla Prabhupäda: Can any of my students answer this question? Disciple: Once I remember John Lennon asked you, “How will I know who is the genuine guru?” And you answered, “Just find out the one who is most addicted to Kåñëa. He is genuine.” Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes. The genuine guru is God’s representative, and he speaks about God and nothing else. The genuine guru is he who has no interest in materialistic life. He is after God, and God only. That is one of the tests of a genuine guru: brahma-niñöham. He is absorbed in the Absolute Truth. In the Muëòaka Upaniñad it is stated, çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham: [MU 1.2.12] “The genuine guru is well versed in the scriptures and Vedic knowledge, and he is completely dependent on Brahman.” He should know what Brahman [spirit] is and how to become situated in Brahman. These signs are given in the Vedic literature. As I said before, the real guru is God’s representative. He represents the Supreme Lord, just as a viceroy represents a king. The real guru will not manufacture anything. Everything he says is in accordance with the scriptures and the previous äcäryas. He will not give you a mantra and tell you that you will become God in six months. This is not a guru’s business. A guru’s business is to canvass everyone to become a devotee of God. That is the sum and substance of a real guru’s business. Indeed, he has no other business. He tells whomever he sees, “Please become God conscious.” If he canvasses somehow or other on behalf of God and tries to get everyone to become a devotee of God, he is a genuine guru. 75

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Reporter: What about a Christian priest? Çréla Prabhupäda: Christian, Muhammadan, Hindu-it doesn’t matter. If he is simply speaking on behalf of God, he is a guru. Lord Jesus Christ, for instance. He canvassed people, saying, “Just try to love God.” Anyone-it doesn’t matter-be he Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, is a guru if he convinces people to love God. That is the test. The guru never says, “I am God,” or “I will make you God.” The real guru says, “I am a servant of God, and I will make you a servant of God also.” It doesn’t matter how the guru is dressed. As Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Whoever can impart knowledge about Kåñëa is a spiritual master.” A genuine spiritual master simply tries to get people to become devotees of Kåñëa, or God. He has no other business. Reporter: But the bad gurus... Çréla Prabhupada: And what is a “bad” guru? Reporter: A bad guru just wants some money or some fame. Çréla Prabhupäda: Well, if he is bad, how can he become a guru? [laughter.] How can iron become gold? Actually, a guru cannot be bad, for if someone is bad, he cannot be a guru. You cannot say “bad guru.” That is a contradiction. What you have to do is simply try to understand what a genuine guru is. The definition of a genuine guru is that he is simply talking about God-that’s all. If he’s talking about some other nonsense, then he is not a guru. A guru cannot be bad. There is no question of a bad guru, any more than a red guru or a white guru. Guru means “genuine guru.” All we have to know is that the genuine guru is simply talking about God and trying to get people to become God’s devotees. If he does this, he is genuine. The Science of Self-Realization Whoever teaches how to know and love God is a spiritual master: Ms. Nixon: How can one tell a bona fide spiritual master from a fake? Çréla Prabhupäda: Whoever teaches how to know God and how to love Him-he is a spiritual master. Sometimes bogus rascals mislead people. “I am God,” they claim, and people who do not know what God is believe them. You must be a serious student to understand who God is and how to love Him. Otherwise, you will simply waste your time. So the difference between others and us is that we are the only movement that can actually teach one how to know God and how to love Him. We are presenting the science of how one can know Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by practicing the teachings of the Bhagavad-gétä and the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. They teach us that our only business is to love God. The Science of Self-Realization A devotee perfectly qualified in chanting the holy name is fit to become a spiritual master and deliver all the people of the world: A bona fide spiritual master chants the holy names-Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare-and the transcendental sound vibration enters into the ear of the disciple, and if a disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants the holy name with similar respect, he actually comes to worship the transcendental name. When the transcendental name is worshiped by the devotee, the name Himself spreads His glories within the heart of a devotee. When a devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the transcendental vibration of the holy name, he is quite fit to become a spiritual master and to deliver all the people of the world. Teachings of Lord Caitanya The spiritual master should not be proud of his position; being humble, he should preach the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mantra: “One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not ex76

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pect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.” PURPORT:The grass is specifically mentioned in this verse because everyone tramples upon it yet the grass never protests. This example indicates that a spiritual master or leader should not be proud of his position; being always humbler than an ordinary common man, he should go on preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahäprabhu by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 17.31 The spiritual master must be spotless in character: The sages said: Respected Süta Gosvämé, you are completely free from all vice.... PURPORT: A gosvämé or the bona fide representative of Çré Vyäsadeva must be free from all kinds of vices. The four major vices of Kali-yuga are (1) illicit connection with women, (2) animal slaughter, (3) intoxication, (4) speculative gambling of all sorts. A gosvämé must be free from all these vices before he can dare sit on the vyäsäsana. No one should be allowed to sit on the vyäsäsana who is not spotless in character and who is not freed from the above-mentioned vices. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.6 The spiritual master must be free from mäyä: If Arjuna is on the same level with Kåñëa, and Kåñëa is not superior to Arjuna, then their relationship of instructor and instructed becomes meaningless. If both of them are deluded by the illusory energy (mäyä), then there is no need of one being the instructor and the other the instructed. Such instruction would be useless because, in the clutches of mäyä, no one can be an authoritative instructor. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.13 One should take advice only from a person transcendental to the four basic defects, the spiritual master: Unless one can find a person transcendental to the four basic defects, one should not accept advice and become a victim of the material condition. The best process is to take the advice and instructions of Çré Kåñëa or His bona fide representative. In this way one can be happy in this life and the next. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.14.26 The qualification of a bona fide spiritual master-he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures and be able to convince others of those conclusions: tasmäd guruà prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam çäbde pare ca niñëätaà brahmaëy upaçamäçrayam “Any person who seriously desires to achieve real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters.” Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.3.21 [cited: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.14.41] The spiritual master must have complete knowledge and be able to answer all inquiries from the disciple: For every unknown thing, we have to learn and inquire from a learned personality.... The spiritual master, therefore, must be one who is sarva-jïa.... Thus all inquires on God which are unknown to the 77

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disciple may be made from the qualified spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.4.6 One can become a spiritual master, even if not liberated, by having full faith in Kåñëa’s words and following His instructions: A conditioned soul is hampered by four defects: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to become illusioned, he has a tendency to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. Consequently we have to take direction from liberated persons. This Kåñëa consciousness movement directly receives instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead via persons who are strictly following His instructions. Although a follower may not be a liberated person, if he follows the supreme liberated Personality of Godhead, his actions are naturally liberated from the contamination of material nature. Lord Caitanya therefore says: “By My order you may become a spiritual master.” One can immediately become a spiritual master by having full faith in the transcendental words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by following His instructions. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.18.5 Unless one has contact with a spiritual master and the Supersoul, one cannot be a spiritual master: Brahmä’s enlightenment in knowledge was due to the Lord sitting within his heart. After being created, Brahmä could not ascertain the source of his appearance, but after penance and mental concentration he could see the source of his birth, and thus he became enlightened through the heart. The spiritual master outside and the spiritual master within are both representations of the Lord. Unless one has contact with such bona fide representations, one cannot claim to be a spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.9.26 One who knows that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone can become the spiritual master of the world: “One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world.... Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.29.51 The spiritual master need not be older than the disciple: The demigods continued: Do not fear criticism for being younger than us. Such etiquette does not apply in regard to Vedic mantras. Except in relationship to Vedic mantras, seniority is determined by age, but one may offer respectful obeisances even to a younger person who is advanced in chanting Vedic mantras. Therefore although you are junior in relationship to us, you may become our priest without hesitation. PURPORT: It is said, våddhatvaà vayasä vinä: one may be senior without being advanced in age. Even if one is not old, one gains seniority if he is senior in knowledge. Viçvarüpa was junior in relationship to the demigods because he was their nephew, but the demigods wanted to accept him as their priest, and therefore he would have to accept obeisances from them. The demigods explained that this should not be a cause for hesitation; he could become their priest because he was advanced in Vedic knowledge. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.7.33 One should accept a spiritual master not in terms of heredity or social and ecclesiastical conventions, but in terms of genuine qualification: It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the çästric injunctions. Çré Jéva Gosvämé advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or custom78

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ary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.35 Disqualifications and qualifications for a bona fide spiritual master: One should not accept as a spiritual master someone who is Fool Number One, who has no direction according to the scriptural injunctions, whose character is doubtful, who does not follow the principles of devotional service, or who has not conquered the influence of the six sense gratifying agents. The six agents of sense gratification are the tongue, the genitals, the belly, anger, the mind and words. Anyone who has practiced controlling these six is permitted to make disciples all over the world. The Nectar of Devotion One can become a spiritual master at home by chanting Hare Kåñëa and preaching the principles of Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam to relatives and friends: The brähmaëa begged Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu, “My dear Lord, kindly show me favor and let me go with You. I can no longer tolerate the waves of misery caused by materialistic life.” Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied, “Don’t speak like that again. Better to remain at home and chant the holy name of Kåñëa always. Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Çré Kåñëa as they are given in Bhagavadgétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land. If you follow this instruction, your materialistic life at home will not obstruct your spiritual advancement. Indeed, if you follow these regulative principles, we will again meet here, or, rather, you will never lose My company.” At whosoever’s house Çré Caitanya accepted His alms by taking prasäda, He would convert the dwellers to His saìkértana movement and advise them just as He advised the brähmaëa named Kurma. PURPORT: The cult of Çré Caitanya Mahaprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn’t matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, chant the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. One has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and in that way one’s life will be spiritually successful. One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee.” Such thinking should be avoided. It is best not to accept any disciples. One has to become purified at home by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Thus one can become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 7.126-30 For the spiritual master to speak and disciple to hear kåñëa-kathä, both must be free from material desires: nivåtta-tarñair upagéyamänäd bhavauñadhäc chrotra-mano-’bhirämät ka uttamaçloka-guëänavädät pumän virajyeta vinä paçu-ghnät Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparä system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. PURPORT: For kåñëa-kathä, topics about Kåñëa consciousness, there must be a speaker and a hearer, both of whom can be interested in Kåñëa consciousness if they are no longer interested in material topics.... For topics concerning Uttamaçloka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master 79

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speaks, and the disciple hears with attention. Unless both of them are free from material desires, they cannot be interested in topics of Kåñëa consciousness. The spiritual master and disciple do not need to understand anything more than Kåñëa because simply by understanding Kåñëa and talking about Kåñëa, one becomes a perfectly learned person (yasmin vijïäte sarvam evaà vijïätaà bhavati) (Muëòaka Upaniñad 1.3). Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.1.4 The bona fide spiritual master as jagad-guru, a guru of all human beings: The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. It is said: gurur nåëäm. The word nåëäm means “of all human beings.” The guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadeçämåta of Rüpa Gosvämé that a guru is a gosvämé, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Påthivéà sa çiñyät. This is the test of the guru. In India there are many so-called gurus, and they are limited to a certain district or a province. They do not even travel about India, yet they declare themselves to be jagad-guru, gurus of the whole world. Such cheating gurus should not be accepted. Anyone can see how the bona fide spiritual master accepts disciples from all over the world. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.330 The spiritual master is naturally victorious in an argument with the disciple: After hearing this, Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya rendered his judgment, saying, “Brahmänanda Bhäraté, I see that you are victorious.” Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu immediately said, “I accept whatever Brahmänanda Bhäraté has said. It is quite all right with Me.” Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu thus posed Himself as a disciple and accepted Brahmänanda Bhäraté as His spiritual master. He then said, “The disciple is certainly defeated in an argument with the spiritual master.”... PURPORT: Brahmänanda Bhäraté admitted that when there is an argument between the spiritual master and the disciple, the spiritual master is naturally victorious, although the disciple may put forward a strong argument. In other words, it is customary that the words of the spiritual master are more worshipable than the words of a disciple. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 10.172-75 If a spiritual master cannot direct his disciples to become free from sinful activities, he becomes responsible for their sinful acts: If parents simply give birth to children like cats and dogs but cannot save their children from imminent death, they become responsible for the activities of their animalistic children.... Similarly, if a spiritual master cannot direct his disciple to become free of sinful activities, he becomes responsible for their sinful acts. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.20.14 The spiritual master is a liberated soul: Sometimes doubts arise in the minds of neophytes about whether or not the spiritual master is liberated, and sometimes neophytes are doubtful about the bodily affairs of the spiritual master. The point of liberation, however, is not to see the bodily symptoms of the spiritual master. Jévan-mukta means that even though one is in the material body (there are still some material necessities since the body is material), because one is fully situated in the service of the Lord, he is to be understood to be liberated. Liberation entails being situated in one’s own position. That is the definition in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam: muktir ... svarüpeëa vyavasthitiù [SB 2.10.6]. The svarüpa, or actual identity of the living entity, is described by Lord Caitanya. Jévera ‘svarüpa’ haya-kåñëera ‘nitya-däsa’: [Cc. Mad 20.108] the real identity 80

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of the living entity is that he is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Lord. If someone is one hundred percent engaged in the service of the Lord, he is to be understood as liberated. One must understand whether or not he is liberated by his activities in devotional service, not by other symptoms. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.33.10 The spiritual master has unlimited intelligence in guiding the disciple: Agädha-dhiñaëaà dvijam: the äcärya is a perfect brähmaëa and has unlimited intelligence in guiding the activities of his disciple. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.7.15 The spiritual master is always thinking of Kåñëa’s pastimes: çré-rädhikä-mädhavayor apära mädhurya-lélä-guëa-rüpa-nämnäm prati-kñaëäsvädana-lolupasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam The spiritual master is always thinking of the pastimes of Kåñëa with His consort Çrématé Rädhäräëé and the gopés. Sometimes he is thinking about Kåñëa’s pastimes with the cowherd boys. This means that he is always thinking of Kåñëa engaged in some kind of pastime. Prati-kñaëäsvädana-lolupasya. Pratikñaëa means he is thinking that way twenty-four hours a day. That is Kåñëa consciousness. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2) A spiritual master is recognized as such when it is seen that he has changed the character of his disciples: Seeing the sublime character of the prostitute, everyone glorified the influence of Haridäsa Öhäkura and offered him obeisances. PURPORT: It is said, phalena paricéyate: one is recognized by the results of his actions. In Vaiñëava society there are many types of Vaiñëavas. Some of them are called gosvämés, some are called svämés, some are prabhus, and some are prabhupäda. One is not recognized, however, simply by such a name. A spiritual master is recognized as an actual guru when it is seen that he has changed the character of his disciples. Haridäsa Öhäkura actually changed the character of the professional prostitute. People greatly appreciated this, and therefore they all offered obeisances to Haridäsa Öhäkura and glorified him. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 3.143 The spiritual master’s ultimate goal is to go to Kåñëa’s planet to serve the Lord in one of five rasas: nikuïja-yüno rati-keli-siddhyai yä yälibhir yuktir apekñaëéyä taträti-däkñyäd ati-vallabhasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam The spiritual master’s ultimate goal is that he wants to be transferred to the planet of Kåñëa, where he can associate with the gopés to help them serve Kåñëa. Some spiritual masters are thinking of becoming assistants to the gopés, some are thinking of becoming assistants to the cowherd boys, some are thinking of becoming assistants to Nanda and mother Yaçodä, and some are thinking of becoming God’s servants. Some are thinking of becoming flower trees, fruit trees, calves, or cows in Våndävana. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2)

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The qualification of an äcärya-to present himself as a servant of the Supreme and to defy atheistic imposters posing as God: The real qualification of an äcärya is that he presents himself as a servant of the Supreme. Such a bona fide äcärya can never support the demoniac activities of atheistic men who present themselves as God. It is the main business of an äcärya to defy such imposters posing as God before the innocent public. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 6.28 The relationship between guru and disciple is spiritual: In the material world, a servant serves the master as long as the servant is pleased and as long as the master is pleased. The servant is pleased as long as the master pays, and the master is pleased as long as the servant renders good service. However, in the spiritual world, if the servant cannot serve under certain conditions, the master is still pleased. And if the master does not pay, the servant is also pleased. That is called oneness, absolute. A guru may have hundreds of disciples, hundreds of servants, but he doesn’t have to pay them. They are serving out of spiritual love, and the guru is teaching without receiving a salary. This is a spiritual relationship. There are no cheaters and cheated in such a relationship. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti

4. The Duties and Proper Behavior of the Spiritual Master The spiritual master enlightens And instructs his disciple. (General instructions.) The guru’s business is to bring his disciples from darkness to light: oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù ‘’I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my guru, my spiritual master, opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.” PURPORT: The word ajïäna means “ignorance” or “darkness.” If all the lights in this room immediately went out, we would not be able to tell where we or others are sitting. Everything would become confused. Similarly, we are all in darkness in this material world, which is a world of tamas. Tamas or timira means “darkness.” This material world is dark, and therefore it needs sunlight or moonlight for illumination. However, there is another world, a spiritual world, that is beyond this darkness. That world is described by Çré Kåñëa in the Bhagavad-gétä (15.6):... “That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.” The guru’s business is to bring his disciples from darkness to light. The Science of Self-Realization The guru’s business is to free the human being from suffering by rescuing him from ignorance: The guru’s business is to see that no human being suffers in this material world. No one can claim that he is not suffering. That is not possible. In this material world, there are three kinds of suffering: adhyätmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. These are miseries arising from the material body and mind, from other living entities, and from the forces of nature. We may suffer mental anguish, or we may suffer from other living entities-from ants or mosquitos or flies-or we may suffer due to some superior power. There may be no rain, or there may be flood. There may be excessive heat or excessive cold. So many types of suffering are imposed by nature. Thus there are three types of miseries within the mate82

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rial world, and everyone is suffering from one, two, or three of them. No one can say that he is completely free from suffering. We may then ask why the living entity is suffering. The answer is: out of ignorance. He does not think, “I am committing mistakes and am leading a sinful life; that is why I am suffering.” Therefore the guru’s first business is to rescue his disciple from this ignorance. We send our children to school to save them from suffering. If our children do not receive an education, we fear that they will suffer in the future. The guru sees that suffering is due to ignorance, which is compared to darkness. How can one in darkness be saved? By light. The guru takes the torchlight of knowledge and presents it before the living entity enveloped in darkness. That knowledge relieves him from the sufferings of the darkness of ignorance. The Science of Self-Realization The spiritual master reveals all knowledge to the disciple: When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime. PURPORT: Real knowledge can be obtained from a person who is in perfect Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore, one has to seek out such a bona fide spiritual master and, under him, learn what Kåñëa consciousness is. The spiritual master can drive away all nescience, as the sun drives away darkness. Even though a person may be in full knowledge that he is not this body but is transcendental to the body, he still may not be able to discriminate between the soul and the Supersoul. However, he can know everything well if he cares to take shelter of the perfect, bona fide Kåñëa conscious spiritual master. One can know God and one’s relationship with God only when one actually meets a representative of God. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 5.16 The sincere disciple is blessed with spiritual realization by the spiritual master: upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù ... The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth. PURPORT: One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding.... A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 4.34 The spiritual master uses sharp words to cut the disciple’s mind from material attachments: If one is intelligent he will associate with those who are trying to elevate themselves to the platform of self-realization through one of the various forms of yoga. The result will be that those who are sädhu, or realized, will be able to sever their attachment to this material affection. Because Arjuna is attracted to things that are impeding the execution of his own duty, Kåñëa severs these things. To cut something, a sharp instrument is required; and to cut the mind from its attachments, sharp words are often required. The sädhu or teacher shows no mercy in using sharp words to sever the student’s mind from material attractions. By speaking the truth uncompromisingly, he is able to sever the bondage. For example, at the very beginning of Bhagavad-gétä Kåñëa speaks sharply to Arjuna by telling him that although he speaks like a learned man, he is actually fool number one. If we actually want detachment from this material world, we should be prepared to accept such cutting words from the spiritual master. Compromise and flattery have no effect where strong words are required. Perfection of Yoga 83

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The guru’s task is to open the disciple’s eyes of knowledge: In Bhagavad-gétä it is said that one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through jïänacakñuñaù, eyes of knowledge. He who opens these eyes of knowledge is called a spiritual master. Thus we offer our prayers to the spiritual master with the following çloka: oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù “I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.” (Gautaméya-tantra) The guru’s task is to open the disciple’s eyes of knowledge. When the disciple is awakened from ignorance to knowledge, he can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead everywhere. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.1.11 The spiritual master delivers the disciple from ignorance to knowledge and freedom: Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births. PURPORT: This verse is very instructive, since it indicates the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple. The disciple or conditioned soul is put into this darkest region of ignorance and therefore is entangled in the material existence of sense gratification. It is very difficult to get out of this entanglement and attain freedom, but if one is fortunate enough to get the association of a spiritual master like Kapila Muni or His representative then by His grace one can be delivered from the mire of ignorance. The spiritual master is therefore worshiped as one who delivers the disciple from the mire of ignorance with the light of the torch of knowledge. The word pära-gam is very significant. Pära-gam means one who can take the disciple to the other side. This side is conditioned life; the other side is the life of freedom. The spiritual master takes the disciple to the other side by opening his eyes with knowledge. We are suffering simply because of ignorance. By the instruction of the spiritual master, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and thus the disciple is enabled to go to the side of freedom. It is stated in Bhagavad-gétä that after many, many births one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, after many, many births, one is able to find a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to such a bona fide representative of Kåñëa, he can be taken to the side of light. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.8 The spiritual master frees the disciple from the material concept of life: One should know the distinction between the body, the owner of the body, and the Supersoul. A faithful person should at first have some good association to hear of God and thus gradually become enlightened. If one accepts a spiritual master, he can learn to distinguish between matter and spirit, and that becomes the stepping-stone for further spiritual realization. A spiritual master teaches his students to get free from the material concept of life by various instructions. For instance, in Bhagavad-gétä we find Kåñëa instructing Arjuna to free him from materialistic considerations. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 13.35 The duty of an äcärya or bona fide spiritual master is to initiate disciples and instruct them in Vedic wisdom: The spiritual master is also called äcärya, or a transcendental professor of spiritual science. The Manusaàhitä (2.140) explains the duties of an äcärya, describing that a bona fide spiritual master accepts charge of disciples, teaches them the Vedic knowledge with all its intricacies, and gives them their second birth.... The duty of the spiritual master is to initiate a disciple with the sacred thread ceremony, 84

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and after this saàskära, or purificatory process, the spiritual master actually begins to teach the disciple about the Vedas. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46 The spiritual master dissipates the darkness of empirical knowledge: Gentlemen, although we are like ignorant children in the knowledge of the Transcendence, still His Divine Grace, my Gurudeva, has kindled a small fire within us to dissipate the invincible darkness of empirical knowledge. We are now so much on the safe side that no amount of philosophical argument by the empiric schools of thought can deviate us an inch from the position of our eternal dependence on the lotus feet of His Divine Grace. The Science of Self-Realization Out of kindness, the spiritual master speaks on transcendental subjects to his disciples: anavratänäà çiñyänäà puträëäà ca dvijottama anäpåñöam api brüyur guravo déna-vatsaläù O best among the brähmaëas, those who are spiritual masters are very kind to the needy. They are always kind to their followers, disciples and sons, and without being asked by them, the spiritual master describes all that is knowledge. PURPORT: There are many subjects to be known from the bona fide spiritual master. The followers, disciples and sons are all on one level for the bona fide spiritual master, and he is always kind to them and always speaks to them on transcendental subjects, even though he is not asked by them. That is the nature of the bona fide spiritual master. Vidura appealed to Maitreya Muni to speak on subjects about which he might not have asked. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.7.36 It is the right of the disciple to ask about, and the duty of the guru to explain, any confidential matter: A student and disciple has the right to ask the guru about any confidential service, and it is the duty of the guru to explain these confidential matters to his disciple. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.12.43 The speaker of transcendental knowledge and the audience are very intimately connnected; thus the spiritual master can speak nicely before an understanding audience: Falling flat at the feet of Lord Caitanya, Sanätana Gosvämé requested Him to explain the [ätmäräma] verse as He had formerly explained it to Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya. Sanätana explained his eagerness to hear the same explanation in order that he might be enlightened. Being thus requested by Sanätana, the Lord replied: “I do not understand why Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya so much appreciated My explanation. As far as I am concerned, I don’t even remember what I said to him. But because you are asking this of Me, I shall, with the help of your association, try to explain whatever I can remember.” Thus the speaker and the audience are very intimately connected; the speaker is enlightened by the presence of the audience. The speaker, or master, can speak very nicely on transcendental subject matters before an understanding audience; therefore Lord Caitanya said that He did not know how to explain the Sanskrit verse but that since He was in the association of Sanätana He would try to explain it. Teachings of Lord Caitanya

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The spiritual master must see whether the disciple understands his instructions: O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this attentively with your mind? And are your illusions and ignorance now dispelled? PURPORT: The Lord was acting as the spiritual master of Arjuna. Therefore it was His duty to inquire from Arjuna whether he understood the whole Bhagavad-gétä in its proper perspective. If not, the Lord was ready to re-explain any point, or the whole Bhagavad-gétä if so required. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 18.72 If the guru and the disciple are sincere and bona fide, the transmission and reception of spiritual knowledge will yield good results: If a man is potent and if a woman is not diseased, then by their conjugation there will be conception. In the same way, if the recipient of spiritual knowledge and the deliverer of spiritual knowledge are sincere and bona fide, there will be good results. The Nectar of Devotion The spiritual master should train his disciples to speak on Çrémad-Bhägavatam: Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu broadcast the purpose of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. He sometimes spoke for the benefit of His devotees and sometimes empowered one of His devotees to speak while He listened. PURPORT: Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, as an ideal teacher, or äcärya, explained Çrémad-Bhägavatam very elaborately Himself. He sometimes also empowered His devotees to speak while He listened. This is the way an äcärya should train his disciples. Not only should he describe the Bhägavata cult personally, but he should also train his disciples to speak on this sublime subject. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 25.267 The spiritual master should instruct his disciples (as Lord Åñabhadeva did His sons) and continue to do so, without anger, even if the disciple sometimes cannot follow his order: If one is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order.... Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.15 The spiritual masters in the Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya should enrich their disciples with the highest devotional perfection of feeling separation from the Lord: The gopés of Våndävana were so attached to Kåñëa that they were not satisfied simply with the räsa dance at night. They wanted to associate with Him and enjoy His company during the daytime also. When Kåñëa went to the forest with His cowherd boyfriends and cows, the gopés did not physically take part, but their hearts went with Him. And because their hearts went, they were able to enjoy His company through strong feelings of separation. To acquire this strong feeling of separation is the teaching of Lord Caitanya and His direct disciplic succession of Gosvämés. When we are not in physical contact with Kåñëa, we can associate with Him like the gopés, through feelings of separation. Kåñëa’s transcendental form, qualities, pastimes, and entourage are all identical with Him. There are nine different kinds of devotional service. Devotional service to Kåñëa in feelings of separation elevates the devotee to the highest perfectional level, to the level of the gopés.... Those who are in the disciplic succession of the Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya should also feel the separation of Kåñëa, worship His transcendental form, and discuss His transcendental teachings, His pastimes, His qualities, His entourage and His associations. The spiritual master should enrich the devotees to the highest devotional perfection. Feeling 86

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constant separation while engaged in the service of the Lord is the perfection of Kåñëa consciousness. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

The spiritual master enlightens and instructs his disciple. (What the spiritual master teaches his disciples.) The disciple should try to understand from the guru what is the self, the universe, God, and our relationship with God: Sitting at the feet of the Äcäryadeva, let us try to understand from this transcendental source of knowledge what we are, what is this universe, what is God, and what is our relationship with Him. The Science of Self-Realization The spiritual master teaches his disciple about the relation between God and the living entity and the process of devotional service: What are the truths regarding the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead? What are their identities? What are the specific values in the knowledge of the Vedas, and what are the necessities for the spiritual master and his disciples? PURPORT: In order to elevate the living entity to [the] standard of knowledge, there is the necessity of spiritual association. The bona fide spiritual master desires that his disciples know the process of rendering transcendental service to the Lord, and the disciples also know that they have to learn about the eternal relationship between God and the living entity from a self-realized soul. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.7.38 A bona fide spiritual master speaks about the Lord’s external activities (creation) as well as His internal activities: A bona fide spiritual master like Çukadeva Gosvämé does not speak about the Lord only in the matter of His internal potencies, but also explains how He associates with His external potencies. The Lord’s pastimes in the internal potency are displayed in His activities in Våndävana, but His external potential works are directed in His features of Käraëärëavaçäyé Viñëu, Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu and Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu. Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté offers his good counsel to the interested Vaiñëavas when he says that they should not be interested in hearing only about the Lord’s activities (like räsa-lélä), but must be keenly interested in His pastimes in His features of the puruñävataras in connection with såñöitattva, creational functions. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.4.10 The result of receiving knowledge from a spiritual master: And when you have thus learned the truth, you will know that all living beings are but part of Me-and that they are in Me, and are Mine. PURPORT: The result of receiving knowledge from a self-realized soul, or one who knows things as they are, is learning that all living beings are parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Çré Kåñëa. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 4.35 The disciple must hear from his spiritual master about the transcendental qualities of pure devotees: Persons who hear from a spiritual master with great labor and for a long time must hear from the mouths of pure devotees about the character and activities of pure devotees. Pure devotees always think within their hearts of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, who awards His devotees liberation. PURPORT: Transcendental students are those who undergo great penance in being trained by hearing 87

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the Vedas from a bona fide spiritual master. Not only must they hear about the activities of the Lord, but they must also hear about the transcendental qualities of the devotees who are constantly thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord within their hearts. A pure devotee of the Lord cannot be separated from the lotus feet of the Lord for even a moment. Undoubtedly the Lord is always within the hearts of all living creatures, but they hardly know about it because they are deluded by the illusory material energy. The devotees, however, realize the presence of the Lord, and therefore they can always see the lotus feet of the Lord within their hearts. Such pure devotees of the Lord are as glorious as the Lord; they are, in fact, recommended by the Lord as more worshipable than He Himself. Worship of the devotee is more potent than worship of the Lord. It is therefore the duty of the transcendental students to hear of pure devotees, as explained by similar devotees of the Lord, because one cannot explain about the Lord or His devotee unless one happens to be a pure devotee himself. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.13.4

The spiritual master enlightens and instructs his disciple. (How the spiritual master transmits knowledge to the disciple.) The disciple receives transcendental knowledge from the spiritual master by ardent hearing, not by electric shock: Çukadeva Gosvämé imparted transcendental knowledge to Mahäräja Parékñit during the remaining seven days of his life, and Mahäräja Parékñit heard him properly, just like an ardent student. The effect of such a bona fide hearing and chanting of Çrémad-Bhägavatam was equally shared by both the hearer and the chanter. Both of them were benefited.... Transcendental realization is attained by such serious hearing and chanting and not otherwise. There is a type of spiritual master and disciple much advertised in this age of Kali. It is said that the master injects spiritual force into the disciple by an electric current generated by the master, and the disciple begins to feel the shock. He becomes unconscious, and the master weeps for his exhausting his store of so-called spiritual assets. Such bogus advertisement is going on in this age, and the poor common man is becoming the victim of such advertisement. We do not find such folk tales in the dealings of Çukadeva Gosvämé and his great disciple Mahäräja Parékñit. The sage recited Çrémad-Bhägavatam in devotion, and the great King heard him properly. The King did not feel any shock of electrical current from the master, nor did he become unconscious while receiving knowledge from the master. One should not, therefore, become a victim of these unauthorized advertisements made by some bogus representative of Vedic knowledge.... Ardent hearing from the bona fide master is the only way to receive transcendental knowledge, and there is no need for medical performances or occult mysticism for miraculous effects. The process is simple, but only the sincere party can achieve the desired result. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.12.3 How the spiritual master transmits and the disciple receives transcendental knowledge: The system of receiving Vedic knowledge is called avaroha-panthä, or the process of receiving transcendental knowledge through bona fide disciplic succession. For advancement of material knowledge there is a need for personal ability and researching aptitude, but in the case of spiritual knowledge, all progress depends more or less on the mercy of the spiritual master. The spiritual master must be satisfied with the disciple; only then is knowledge automatically manifest before the student of spiritual science. The process should not, however, be misunderstood to be something like magical feats whereby the spiritual master acts like a magician and injects spiritual knowledge into his disciple, as if surcharging him with an electrical current. The bona fide spiritual master reasonably explains everything to the disciple on the authorities of Vedic wisdom. The disciple can receive such knowledge not exactly intellectually, but by submissive inquiries and a service attitude. The idea is that both the spiritual master and the disciple must be bona fide. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.1.10 88

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Transmission of knowledge from the spiritual master to the disciple is based on sense and logic, not magic: Service to the Lord is the completely purified use of the senses, as described in the Bhagavad-gétä. The Lord imparted instructions with full senses, and Arjuna received them with full senses, and thus there was a perfect exchange of sensible and logical understanding between the master and the disciple. Spiritual understanding is nothing like an electrical charge from the master to the disciple, as foolishly claimed by some propaganda-mongers. Everything is full of sense and logic, and the exchange of views between the master and disciple is possible only when the reception is submissive and real. In the Caitanya-caritämåta it is said that one should receive the teachings of Lord Caitanya with intellect and full senses so that one can logically understand the great mission. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.20

The spiritual master enlightens and instructs his disciple. (The spiritual master can enlighten even an unintelligent or dull-headed disciple.) However unintelligent one may be, by the grace of the spiritual master one can understand knowledge of the Absolute Truth: My dear son, Kapila, after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness. PURPORT: Knowledge of the Absolute Truth is not very easily understood by ordinary, less intelligent men; but if the spiritual master is kind enough to the disciple, however unintelligent he may be, then by the divine grace of the spiritual master everything is revealed. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.30 The pure devotee spiritual master can enlighten even a dull-headed disciple: It is not at all wonderful that simply by being covered by the dust of your lotus feet, one immediately attains the platform of pure devotional service to Adhokñaja, which is not available even to great demigods like Brahmä. By associating with you just for a moment, I am now freed from all argument, false prestige and lack of discrimination, which are the roots of entanglement in the material world. Now I am free from all these problems. PURPORT: Association with pure devotees certainly frees one from the material clutches. This is certainly true of King Rahügaëa’s association with Jaòa Bharata. King Rahügaëa was immediately freed from the misgivings of material association. The arguments offered by pure devotees to their disciples are so convincing that even a dull-headed disciple is immediately enlightened with spiritual knowledge. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.13.22

The spiritual master engages his disciple in devotional service The spiritual master’s concern-how his surrendered disciples may make progress in devotional service: The Lord, being full and free from problems, can wholeheartedly care for His devotees. His concern is how to elevate and protect all those who have taken shelter at His feet. The same responsibility is also entrusted to the spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual master’s concern is how the devotees who have surrendered to him as a representative of the Lord may make progress in devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always mindful of the devotees who fully engage in cultivating knowledge of Him, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.61 To achieve success in devotional service, one must be directed by a bona fide spiritual master: A devotee must know what Kåñëa wants him to do. This can be achieved through the medium of the 89

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spiritual master who is a bona fide representative of Kåñëa. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé advises, ädau gurväçrayam. One who is serious in wanting to render pure devotional service to the Lord must take shelter of the spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession from Kåñëa. Evaà paramparä-präptam imaà räjarñayo viduù [Bg. 4.2]. Without accepting a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, one cannot find out the real purpose of devotional service. Therefore one has to accept the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and agree to be directed by him. The first business of a pure devotee is to satisfy his spiritual master, whose only business is to spread Kåñëa consciousness. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù: if one can satisfy the spiritual master, Kåñëa is automatically satisfied. This is the success of devotional service. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 19.167 The spiritual master trains and engages the disciple according to his ability: TRANSLATION I have fortunately been instructed by you, and thus great favor has been bestowed upon me. I thank God that I have listened with open ears to your pure words. PURPORT: Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has given directions, in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, on how to accept a bona fide spiritual master and how to deal with him. First, the desiring candidate must find a bona fide spiritual master, and then he must very eagerly receive instructions from him and execute them. This is reciprocal service.... a bona fide spiritual master knows the nature of a particular man and what sort of duties he can perform in Kåñëa consciousness, and he instructs him in that way. He instructs him through the ear, not privately, but publicly. “You are fit for such and such work in Kåñëa consciousness. You can act in this way.” One person is advised to act in Kåñëa consciousness by working in the Deities’ room, another is advised to act in Kåñëa consciousness by performing editorial work, another is advised to do preaching work, and another is advised to carry out Kåñëa consciousness in the cooking department. There are different departments of activity in Kåñëa consciousness, and a spiritual master, knowing the particular ability of a particular man, trains him in such a way that by his tendency to act he becomes perfect. Bhagavad-gétä makes it clear that one can attain the highest perfection of spiritual life simply by offering service according to his ability, just as Arjuna served Kåñëa by his ability in the military art. Arjuna offered his service fully as a military man, and he became perfect. Similarly, an artist can attain perfection simply by performing artistic work under the direction of the spiritual master. If one is a literary man, he can write articles and poetry for the service of the Lord under the direction of the spiritual master. One has to receive the message of the spiritual master regarding how to act in one’s capacity, for the spiritual master is expert in giving such instructions. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.22.7 It is the duty of the spiritual master to train a disciple in a particular occupational duty, according to his psychological nature: Unless a child is trained according to his tendency, there is no possibility of his developing his particular spirit. It [is] the duty of the spiritual master or teacher to observe the psychological movement of a particular boy and thus train him in a particular occupational duty. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.8.36 The spiritual master should train his disciple to love Kåñëa: The spiritual master should train his disciple in such a way so that in the future only the Supreme Personality of Godhead will be the dearmost goal of his life. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.32.42 It is the duty of the spiritual master to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Kåñëa: As a man’s mental disease is cured by the directions of a psychiatrist, so sädhana-bhakti cures the conditioned soul of his madness under the spell of mäyä, material illusion.

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Närada mentions this sädhana-bhakti in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Seventh Canto, 1st Chapter, 30th verse. He says there to King Yudhiñöhira: “My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Kåñëa by any means.” That is called Kåñëa consciousness. It is the duty of the äcärya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Kåñëa. That is the beginning of sädhana-bhakti. The Nectar of Devotion The spiritual master elevates the disciple to ecstatic love of Godhead by engaging him in the regulative principles of devotional service: In the beginning a devotee is engaged in the regulative principles of devotional service by the order of his spiritual master. When one thereby becomes completely purified of all material contamination, there develops an attachment and taste for devotional service. This taste and attachment, when gradually intensified in the course of time, becomes love.... Ecstatic love of Godhead can be potently invoked simply by following the rules and regulations of devotional service as they are prescribed in scriptures, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. The Nectar of Devotion Devotional service performed with the mind and body must be directed by the spiritual master: Those who are cultivating spiritual life and executing devotional service are always engaged in activity. Such activity can be performed with the body or with the mind. Thinking, feeling and willing are all activities of the mind, and when we will to do something, the activity comes to be manifest by the gross bodily senses. Thus, in our mental activities we should always try to think of Kåñëa and try to plan how to please Him, following in the footsteps of the great äcäryas and the personal spiritual master....This is the mental culture of Kåñëa consciousness. Similarly, we can offer many services with our bodily activities. But all such activities must be in relationship with Kåñëa. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master who is the direct representative of Kåñëa in disciplic succession. Therefore, the execution of Kåñëa conscious activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith. The Nectar of Devotion The spiritual master directs the devotee in what should be accepted or rejected in the execution of devotional service: One should not give up anything which can be utilized in the service of the Lord. That is a secret of devotional service. Anything that can be utilized in advancing Kåñëa consciousness and devotional service should be accepted.... Our vision is that Kåñëa is everything. Kåñëa is the cause and effect, and nothing belongs to us. Kåñëa’s things must be used in the service of Kåñëa. That is our vision. This does not mean, however, that we should give up the principles of discharging devotional service or neglect abiding by the rules and regulations prescribed therein. In the neophyte stage of devotion one must follow all the principles, regulated by the authority of the spiritual master. The acceptance and rejection of things should always be in pursuance of the devotional principles; not that one can independently manufacture some idea of what should be accepted or rejected. The spiritual master as the visible manifestation of Kåñëa is necessary, therefore, to direct the devotee on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Nectar of Devotion Although the spiritual master can immediately bless the disciple, his duty is to engage the disciple in devotional discipline: The great sage Närada told Dhruva Mahäräja: The instruction given by your mother, Sunéti, to follow the path of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is just suitable for you. You 91

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should therefore completely absorb yourself in the devotional service of the Lord. PURPORT: Närada Muni is referred to here as bhagavän because he can bless any person just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead can. He was very pleased with Dhruva Mahäräja, and he could have at once personally given whatever he wanted, but that is not the duty of the spiritual master. His duty is to engage the disciple in proper devotional service as prescribed in the çästras. Kåñëa was similarly present before Arjuna, and even though He could have given him all facilities for victory over the opposing party without a fight, He did not do so; instead He asked Arjuna to fight. In the same way, Närada Muni asked Dhruva Mahäräja to undergo devotional discipline in order to achieve the desired result. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.8.40 How the guru and Kåñëa together help the serious devotee return back home, back to Godhead: O Lord, who resemble the shining sun, You are always ready to fulfill the desire of Your devotee, and therefore You are known as a desire tree [väïchä-kalpataru]. When äcäryas completely take shelter under Your lotus feet in order to cross the fierce ocean of nescience, they leave behind on earth the method by which they cross, and because You are very merciful to Your other devotees, You accept this method to help them. PURPORT: This statement reveals how the merciful äcäryas and the merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead together help the serious devotee who wants to return home, back to Godhead.... One can achieve the seed of bhakti-latä, devotional service, by the mercy of guru and Kåñëa. The duty of the guru is to find the means, according to the time, the circumstances and the candidate, by which one can be induced to render devotional service, which Kåñëa accepts from a candidate who wants to be successful in going back home, back to Godhead. After wandering throughout the universe, a fortunate person within this material world seeks shelter of such a guru, or äcärya, who trains the devotee in the suitable ways to render service according to the circumstances so that the Supreme Personality of Godhead will accept the service. This makes it easier for the candidate to reach the ultimate destination. The äcärya’s duty, therefore, is to find the means by which devotees may render service according to references from çästra.... The äcärya gives the suitable method for crossing the ocean of nescience by accepting the boat of the Lord’s lotus feet, and if this method is strictly followed, the followers will ultimately reach the destination, by the grace of the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.2.31 It is the duty of the spiritual master to prevent his disciples from violating the principles of Vaiñëava behavior: It is the duty of a Vaiñëava äcärya to prevent his disciples and followers from violating the principles of Vaiñëava behavior. He should always advise them to strictly follow the regulative principles, which will protect them from falling down. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 13.133 The spiritual master must elevate the disciple from karmic activity to devotional service: ... Ignorant people who engage in pious and impious activities should be engaged in devotional service by all means. They should always avoid fruitive activity. If one puts into the bondage of karmic activity his disciple, son or citizen who is bereft of transcendental vision, how will one profit? It is like leading a blind man to a dark well and causing him to fall in. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.15 Under the direction of the spiritual master, the disciple must engage his body, mind and words in the service of the Lord: One must accept a spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession and is a servant of the servant 92

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of the Lord [Cc. Mad 13.80]. Under his direction, one must then engage one’s three properties, namely body, mind and words. The body should be engaged in physical activity under the order of the master, the mind should think of Kåñëa incessantly, and one’s words should be engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord. If one is thus engaged in the loving service of the Lord, one’s life is successful. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.11.24 Under the guidance of the spiritual master, the disciple becomes convinced about his relationship with Kåñëa (sambandha), acts accordingly (abhidheya) and attains the ultimate goal of life (prayojana-siddhi): “It is only by devotional service, beginning with hearing, that one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the only means to approach Him. By practicing this regulated devotional service under the direction of the spiritual master, certainly one awakens his dormant love of Godhead. This process is called abhidheya.” PURPORT: By the practice of devotional service, beginning with hearing and chanting, the impure heart of a conditioned soul is purified, and thus he can understand his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That eternal relationship is described by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Jévera ‘svarüpa’ haya-kåñëera ‘nitya-däsa’: [Cc. Mad 20.108] the living entity is an eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one is convinced about this relationship, which is called sambandha, he then acts accordingly. That is called abhidheya. The next step is prayojana-siddhi, or fulfillment of the ultimate goal of one’s life. If one can understand his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and act accordingly, automatically his mission in life is fulfilled. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä. 7.141-42

The spiritual master frees the disciple from material existence Bringing mercy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence: This forest fire of material existence goes on perpetually, and the authorized person who can deliver you from this fire is called guru, the spiritual master. How does he deliver you? What is his means? Consider the same example. When there is a fire in the forest, you cannot send a fire brigade or go there yourself with bucketfuls of water to extinguish it. That is not possible. Then how will it be extinguished? You need water to extinguish fire, but where will the water come from-from your bucket or your fire brigade? No, it must come from the sky. Only when there are torrents of rain from the sky will the blazing forest fire be extinguished. These rains from the sky do not depend on your scientific propaganda or manipulation. They depend on the mercy of the Supreme Lord. So the spiritual master is compared to a cloud. Just as there are torrents of rain from a cloud, so the spiritual master brings mercy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A cloud takes water from the sea. It doesn’t have its own water, but takes water from the sea. Similarly, the spiritual master brings mercy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just see the comparison. He has no mercy of his own, but he carries the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the qualification of the spiritual master. The spiritual master will never say, “I am God-I can give you mercy.” No. That is not a spiritual masterthat is a bogus pretender. The spiritual master will say, “I am a servant of God; I have brought His mercy. Please take it and be satisfied.” This is the spiritual master’s business. He is just like a mailman. When a mailman delivers you some large amount of money, it is not his own money. The money is sent by someone else, but he honestly delivers it—”Sir, here is your money. Take it.” So you become very much satisfied with him, although it is not his money he is giving you. When you are in need and you get money from your father or someone else-brought by the mailman-you feel very much satisfaction. Similarly, we are all suffering in this blazing fire of material existence. But the spiritual master brings the message from the Supreme Lord and delivers it to you, and if you kindly accept it, then you’ll be satisfied. This is the business of the spiritual master. 93

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saàsära-dävänala-léòha-lokaträëäya käruëya-ghanäghanatvam präptasya kalyäëa-guëärëavasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam Thus the spiritual master is offered obeisances: “Sir, you have brought mercy from the Supreme Lord; therefore, we are much obliged to you. You have come to deliver us, so we offer our respectful obeisances.” That is the meaning of this verse: the first qualification of the spiritual master, or guru, is that he brings you the message to stop the blazing fire in your heart. This is the test. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2) The spiritual master extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence (by injecting transcendental knowledge): Material existence is something like a blazing fire in the forest, which can be extinguished by the mercy of the Lord Çré Kåñëa. The spiritual master is the mercy representative of the Lord. Therefore, a person burning in the flames of material existence may receive the rains of mercy of the Lord through the transparent medium of the self-realized spiritual master. The spiritual master, by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental, which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.7.22 The guru descends not to meddle with the affairs of the mundane world but to deliver the fallen, conditioned souls: The äcärya has been identified with God Himself. He has nothing to do with the affairs of this mundane world. He does not descend here to meddle with the affairs of temporary necessities, but to deliver the fallen, conditioned souls—the souls, or entities, who have come here to the material world with a motive of enjoyment by the mind and the five organs of sense perception. He appears before us to reveal the light of the Vedas and to bestow upon us the blessings of full-fledged freedom, after which we should hanker at every step of our life’s journey. The Science of Self-Realization The guru takes on the responsibility to guide his disciple to immortality: We must understand that we are all born rascals and fools and that we have to be enlightened. We have to receive knowledge to make our lives perfect. If we do not perfect our lives, we are defeated. What is this defeat? The struggle for existence. We are trying to obtain a better life, to attain a superior position, and for this we are struggling very hard. But we do not know what a superior position actually is. Whatever position we have in this material world must be given up. We may have a good position or a bad position; in any case, we cannot remain here. We may earn millions of dollars and think, “Now I am in a good position,” but a little dysentery or cholera will finish our position. If the bank fails, our position is gone. So actually there is no good position in this material world. It is a farce. Those who try to attain a better position in the material world are ultimately defeated because there is no better position. ... Is there any science that gives us the knowledge by which we may become immortal? Yes, we may become immortal, but not in the material sense. We cannot receive this knowledge in so-called universities. However, there is knowledge contained in the Vedic scriptures by which we may become immortal. That immortality is our better position. No more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. Thus the guru takes on a very great responsibility. He must guide his disciple and enable him to become an eligible candidate for the perfect position-immortality. The guru must be competent to lead 94

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his disciple back home, back to Godhead. The Science of Self-Realization It is the business of the guru to teach his disciples detachment: We are very much attached to this material world, but according to the Vedic system, renunciation is compulsory, for when one reaches the age of fifty, he renounces his family life. Nature gives warning, “You are now past fifty. That’s all right. You have fought in this material world. Now stop this business.” Children play on the beach and make houses out of sand, but after a while the father comes and says, “Now, my dear children, time is up. Stop this business and come home.” This is the business of the guru-to teach his disciples detachment. The world is not our place; our place is Vaikuëöhaloka. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti The guru extinguishes the blazing fire of anxiety within the heart: Everyone has a blazing fire within his heart-a blazing fire of anxiety. That is the nature of material existence. Always, everyone has anxiety; no one is free from it. Even a small bird has anxiety. If you give the small bird some grains to eat, he’ll eat them, but he won’t eat very peacefully. He’ll look this way and that way—”Is somebody coming to kill me?” This is material existence. Everyone, even a president like Mr. Nixon, is full of anxieties. What to speak of others. Even Gandhi, in our country-he was full of anxiety. All politicians are full of anxiety. They may hold a very exalted post, but still the material disease-anxiety-is there. So if you want to be anxiety-less, then you must take shelter of the guru, the spiritual master. And the test of the guru is that by following his instructions you’ll be free from anxiety. This is the test. Don’t try to find a cheap guru or a fashionable guru. Just as you sometimes keep a dog as a fashion, if you want to keep a guru as a fashion—”I have a guru”—that will not help. You must accept a guru who can extinguish the blazing fire of anxiety within your heart. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2) The disciples of a pure devotee can easily become purified and enter the kingdom of God: Not only does a pure devotee purify his own personal existence, but whoever becomes his disciple also ultimately becomes purified and able to enter the kingdom of God without difficulty. Not only can a pure devotee easily surpass death, but by his grace his followers also can do so without difficulty. The power of devotional service is so great that a pure devotee can electrify another person by his transcendental instruction on crossing over the ocean of nescience. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead The spiritual master is the navigator of the boat of the human form of life, with which to cross the ocean of nescience: When one wants to cross a large ocean, he requires a strong boat. It is said that this human form of life is a good boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience. In the human form of life one can obtain the guidance of a good navigator, the spiritual master. He also gets a favorable wind by the mercy of Kåñëa, and that wind is the instruction of Kåñëa. The human body is the boat, the instructions of Lord Kåñëa are the favorable winds, and the spiritual master is the navigator. The spiritual master knows well how to adjust the sails to catch the winds favorably and steer the boat to its destination. If, however, one does not take advantage of this opportunity, he wastes the human form of life. Wasting time and life in this way is the same as committing suicide. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.23.28 It is the spiritual master’s duty to teach the disciple how to give up materialistic life, and the disciple’s duty to do so: Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: My dear King, after hearing the instructions of Närada, the Haryaçvas, the sons of Prajäpati Dakña, were firmly convinced. They all believed in his instructions and reached the 95

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same conclusion. Having accepted him as their spiritual master, they circumambulated that great sage and followed the path by which one never returns to this world. PURPORT: From this verse we can understand the meaning of initiation and the duties of a disciple and spiritual master. The spiritual master never instructs his disciple, “Take a mantra from me, pay me some money, and by practicing this yoga system you will become very expert in material life.” This is not the duty of a spiritual master. Rather, the spiritual master teaches the disciple how to give up materialistic life, and the disciple’s duty is to assimilate his instructions and ultimately follow the path back home, back to Godhead, from whence no one returns to this material world.... [The Haryaçvas’] materialistic father had instructed them to increase the population, but because of the words of Närada Muni, they could not heed that instruction. Närada Muni, as their spiritual master, gave them the çästric instructions that they should give up this material world, and as bona fide disciples they followed his instructions. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.5.21 By associating with a sädhu or spiritual master, one learns detachment from matter and becomes elevated in devotional service: Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation. PURPORT: Here it is recommended that attachment should be transferred to the self-realized devotees, the sädhus. And who is a sädhu? A sädhu is not just an ordinary man with a saffron robe or long beard. A sädhu is described in Bhagavad-gétä as one who unflinchingly engages in devotional service. Even though one is found not to be following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service, if one simply has unflinching faith in Kåñëa, the Supreme Person, he is understood to be a sädhu. Sädhur eva sa mantavyaù [Bg. 9.30]. A sädhu is a strict follower of devotional service. It is recommended here that if one at all wants to realize Brahman or spiritual perfection, his attachment should be transferred to the sädhu, or devotee. Lord Caitanya also confirmed this. Lava-mätra sädhu-saìge sarva-siddhi haya: [Cc Mad 22.54] simply by a moment’s association with a sädhu one can attain perfection. Mahätmä is a synonym of sädhu. It is said that service to a mahätmä, or elevated devotee of the Lord, is dväram ähur vimukteù, the royal road of liberation. Mahat-seväà dväram ähur vimuktes tamo-dväraà yoñitäà saìgi-saìgam. Rendering service to the materialists has the opposite effect. If anyone offers service to a gross materialist or a person engaged only in sense enjoyment, then by association with such a person the door to hell is opened (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.2). The same principle is confirmed here. Attachment to a devotee is attachment to the service of the Lord because if one associates with a sädhu, then the result will be that the sädhu will teach him how to become a devotee, a worshiper and a sincere servitor of the Lord. These are the gifts of a sädhu. If we want to associate with a sädhu we cannot expect him to give us instructions on how to improve our material condition, but he will give us instructions on how to cut the knot of the contamination of material attraction and how to elevate ourselves in devotional service. That is the result of associating with a sädhu. Kapila Muni first of all instructs that the path of liberation begins with such association. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.20 By the grace of the spiritual master, one can be properly situated in his liberated position: The individual soul has to understand his position by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master ... one has to select a bona fide spiritual master and become enlightened to his original consciousness. In this way the individual soul can understand that he is always subordinate to the Supersoul. As soon as he declines to remain subordinate and tries to become an enjoyer, he begins his material conditioning. When he abandons this spirit of being an individual owner or enjoyer, he becomes situated in his liberated state. The word sva-stha, meaning “situated in one’s original position,” is very significant in this verse. When one gives up his unwanted attitude of superiority, he becomes situated in his original 96

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position. The word tad-vyabhicäreëa is also significant, for it indicates that when one is separated from God due to disobedience, his real sense is lost. Again, by the grace of Kåñëa and guru, he can be properly situated in his liberated position. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.64

The spiritual master chastises the disciple (for his benefit) The teacher should chastise the student: The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead. PURPORT: The Lord at once took the position of the teacher and chastised the student, calling him, indirectly, a fool. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.11 As the well-wisher of his disciples, the spiritual master has the right to chastise them: “My dear Lord, You are the supreme father, the supreme spiritual master and supreme king. Therefore, You have the right to chastise all living entities whenever there is any discrepancy in their behavior. The father, the spiritual master, and the supreme executive officer of the state are always well-wishers of their sons, their students and their citizens respectively. As such, the well-wishers have the right to chastise their dependents.” Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead The spiritual master reprimands the disciple for his betterment: Then Rämacandra Puré was so foolish that he fearlessly dared to instruct his spiritual master. “If you are in full transcendental bliss,” he said, “you should now remember only Brahman. Why are you crying?” Hearing this instruction, Mädhavendra Puré, greatly angry, rebuked him by saying, “Get out, you sinful rascal!” PURPORT: Rämacandra Puré could not understand that his spiritual master, Mädhavendra Puré, was feeling transcendental separation. His lamentation was not material. Rather, it proceeded from the highest stage of ecstatic love of Kåñëa. When he was crying in separation, “I could not achieve Kåñëa! I could not reach Mathurä!” this was not ordinary material lamentation. Rämacandra Puré was not sufficiently expert to understand the feelings of Mädhavendra Puré, but nevertheless he thought himself very advanced. Therefore, regarding Mädhavendra Puré’s expressions as ordinary material lamentation, he advised him to remember Brahman because he was latently an impersonalist. Mädhavendra Puré understood Rämacandra Puré’s position as a great fool and therefore immediately rebuked him. Such a reprimand from the spiritual master is certainly for the betterment of the disciple. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 8.22

The spiritual master is glad to see his disciples advance When the disciple makes progress in spiritual life, the spiritual master is gladdened: “’Chanting the holy name in ecstasy causes one to dance, laugh and cry.’ When My spiritual master heard this, he smiled....” PURPORT: When a disciple very perfectly makes progress in spiritual life, this gladdens the spiritual master, who then also smiles in ecstasy, thinking, “How successful my disciple has become!” He feels so glad that he smiles as he enjoys the progress of the disciple, just as a smiling parent enjoys the activities of a child who is trying to stand up or crawl perfectly. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.82 97

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The spiritual master feels very glad and obliged when he sees a disciple following the regulative principles and advancing in spiritual life: “ ‘It is very good, my dear child, that You have attained the supreme goal of life by developing love of Godhead. Thus You have pleased me very much, and I am very much obliged to You.’ ” PURPORT: It is very difficult to understand the science of Kåñëa, not to speak of developing love of Godhead. Therefore if by the grace of Lord Caitanya and the spiritual master a disciple attains the standard of pure devotional service, the spiritual master is very happy. The spiritual master is not actually happy if the disciple brings him money, but when he sees that a disciple is following the regulative principles and advancing in spiritual life, he is very glad and feels obliged to such an advanced disciple. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.91 The spiritual master takes more pleasure in seeing his disciple advance than in advancing himself: Lord Caitanya said that His spiritual master told Him: “It is very good that You have attained such a perfectional stage of love of Godhead. Because of Your attainment, I am very much obliged to You.” The father becomes more enlivened when he sees his son advance beyond himself. Similarly, the spiritual master takes more pleasure in seeing his disciple advance than in advancing himself. Teachings of Lord Caitanya The spiritual master’s mission in life is fulfilled if he can convert even one soul into a pure devotee: “ ‘It is very good, my dear child, that You have attained the supreme goal of life by developing love of Godhead. Thus You have pleased me very much, and I am very much obliged to You.’ ” PURPORT: According to revealed scriptures, if a spiritual master can convert even one soul into a perfectly pure devotee, his mission in life is fulfilled. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura always used to say, “Even at the expense of all the properties, temples and maöhas that I have, if I could convert even one person into a pure devotee, my mission would be fulfilled.” It is very difficult, however, to understand the science of Kåñëa, not to speak of developing love of Godhead. Therefore if by the grace of Lord Caitanya and the spiritual master a disciple attains the standard of pure devotional service, the spiritual master is very happy. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.91

The spiritual master as preacher. (General instructions.) Authorized spiritual masters are compassionate Vaiñëavas who try to enlighten conditioned souls: Vaiñëavas, or devotees, are usually very compassionate upon conditioned souls. Without even being invited, a devotee will go from door to door to enlighten people and to bring them out of the darkness of nescience by injecting knowledge of the living entity’s constitutional position as a servant of Lord Kåñëa. Such devotees are empowered by the Lord to distribute devotional consciousness, or Kåñëa consciousness, to the people in general. They are known as authorized spiritual masters, and it is by their mercy that a conditioned soul gets the seed of devotional service. Teachings of Lord Caitanya The bona fide saintly spiritual master always desires to elevate every common man to Kåñëa consciousness: A bona fide spiritual master or saintly person always desires to elevate a common man who comes to him. Because everyone is under the delusion of mäyä and is forgetful of his prime duty, Kåñëa consciousness, a saintly person always desires that everyone become a saintly person. It is the function of a saintly person to invoke Kåñëa consciousness in every forgetful common man. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.22.7 98

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The äcärya is always absorbed in thought of the spiritual well-being of the general public: Please, therefore, being blessed with many years, explain to us, in an easily understandable way, what you have ascertained to be the absolute and ultimate good for the people in general. PURPORT: In Bhagavad-gétä, worship of the äcärya is recommended. The äcäryas and gosvämés are always absorbed in thought of the wellbeing of the general public, especially their spiritual well-being. Spiritual well-being is automatically followed by material well-being. The äcäryas therefore give directions in spiritual well-being for people in general. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.9 The qualification of an äcärya-compassion for suffering humanity: Seeing the activities of the world, the Äcärya felt compassion and began to ponder how He could act for the people’s benefit. PURPORT: This sort of serious interest in the welfare of the public makes one a bona fide äcärya. An äcärya does not exploit his followers. Since the äcärya is a confidential servitor of the Lord, his heart is always full of compassion for humanity in its suffering. He knows that all suffering is due to the absence of devotional service to the Lord, and therefore he always tries to find ways to change people’s activities, making them favorable for the attainment of devotion. That is the qualification of an äcärya.... This endeavor makes him a very dear devotee of the Lord, who says clearly in Bhagavad-gétä that no one in human society is dearer to Him than a devotee who constantly engages in His service by finding ways to preach the message of Godhead for the real benefit of the world. The so-called äcäryas of the age of Kali are more concerned with exploiting the resources of their followers than mitigating their miseries, but Çré Advaita Prabhu, as an ideal äcärya, was concerned with improving the condition of the world situation. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 3.98 The mission of the guru is to spread Kåñëa consciousness all over the world: One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Kåñëa or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Kåñëa consciousness all over the world. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.24.48 The function of an äcärya-to spread Kåñëa consciousness all over the world: The word äcärya means “teacher.” The special function of such a teacher is to make people Kåñëa conscious. A bona fide teacher following in the footsteps of Advaita Äcärya has no other business than to spread the principles of Kåñëa consciousness all over the world. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 6.28 One who acts according to scripture and at the same time preaches is a bona fide spiritual master: “Some behave very well but do not preach the cult of Kåñëa consciousness, whereas others preach but do not behave properly. You simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world.” PURPORT: Sanätana Gosvämé clearly defines herein the bona fide spiritual master of the world. The qualifications expressed in this connection are that one must act according to the scriptural injunctions and at the same time preach. One who does so is a bona fide spiritual master. Haridäsa Öhäkura was the ideal spiritual master because he regularly chanted on his beads a prescribed number of times. Indeed, he was chanting the holy name of the Lord three hundred thousand times a day. Similarly, the members of the Kåñëa consciousness movement chant a minimum of sixteen rounds a day, which can 99

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be done without difficulty, and at the same time they must preach the cult of Caitanya Mahäprabhu according to the gospel of Bhagavad-gétä As It Is. One who does so is quite fit to become a spiritual master for the entire world. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 4.102-3 The äcärya should be eager to preach, not to earn his livelihood through temple income: Advaita Äcärya was always absorbed in thoughts of how to deliver the fallen souls of the entire world. “The entire world is full of nondevotees,” He thought. “How will they be delivered?” PURPORT: Çréla Advaita Äcärya sets the standard for äcäryas in the Vaiñëava sampradäya. An äcärya must always be eager to deliver the fallen souls. A person who establishes a temple or maöha to take advantage of people’s sentiments by using for his livelihood what people contribute for the worship of the Deity cannot be called a gosvämé or äcärya. One who knows the conclusions of the çästras, follows in the footsteps of his predecessors and endeavors to preach the bhakti cult all over the world is to be considered an äcärya. The role of an äcärya is not to earn his livelihood through the income of the temple. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura used to say that if one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an äcärya or gosvämé. It would be better for him to accept service even as a sweeper in the street, for that is a more honorable means of earning one’s living. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 3.223 A spiritual master’s prime duty is to preach, not to construct temples: We can see in the life of various äcäryas in the line of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu that they are not very enthusiastic about constructing temples. However, if somebody comes forward to offer some service, the same reluctant äcäryas will encourage the building of costly temples by such servitors. For example, Rüpa Gosvämé was offered a favor by Mahäräja Mänsiìgh, the commander-in-chief of Emperor Akhbar, and Rüpa Gosvämé instructed him to construct a large temple of Govindajé, which cost vast amounts of money. So a bona fide spiritual master should not personally take any responsibility for constructing temples, but if someone has money and wants to spend it in the service of Kåñëa, an äcärya like Rüpa Gosvämé may utilize the devotee’s money to construct a nice costly temple for the service of the Lord. Unfortunately, it happens that someone who is not fit to become a spiritual master may approach wealthy persons to contribute for temple constructions. If such money is utilized by unqualified spiritual masters to live comfortably in costly temples without actually doing any preaching work, this is not acceptable. In other words, a spiritual master needn’t be very enthusiastic for constructing temple buildings simply in the name of so-called spiritual advancement. Rather, his first and foremost activity should be to preach. In this connection, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Mahäräja recommended that a spiritual master print books. If one has money, instead of constructing costly temples, one should spend his money for the publication of authorized books in different languages for propagating the Kåñëa consciousness movement. The Nectar of Devotion For preaching purposes, the spiritual master descends from the uttama-adhikäré platform to the madhyamaadhikäré platform: The spiritual master is supposed to be in the most advanced stage, but for preaching purposes he descends to the intermediate stage [Cc. Madhyama-adhikäré]. The uttama-adhikäré, the most advanced devotee, does not discriminate between devotees and nondevotees. He sees everyone but himself as a devotee. The truly advanced devotee sees that he is not a devotee but that everyone else is a devotee.... “The madhyama-adhikaré is a devotee who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the highest object of love, makes friends with the Lord’s devotees, is merciful to the ignorant and avoids those who are envious by nature.” Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.2.46 [cited: Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti ] 100

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The spiritual master as preacher. (The spiritual master must preach according to time and circumstances.) The äcärya cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, but must preach according to time and circumstances: Seeing that the Mäyävädés and others were fleeing, Lord Caitanya thought: I wanted everyone to be immersed in this inundation of love of Godhead, but some of them have escaped. Therefore I shall devise a trick to drown them also. PURPORT: Here is an important point. Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted to invent a way to capture the Mäyävädés and others who did not take interest in the Kåñëa consciousness movement. This is the symptom of an äcärya. An äcärya who comes for the service of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, for he must find the ways and means by which Kåñëa consciousness may be spread. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.31-32 The äcärya should devise means to attract people to Kåñëa consciousness: As an ideal äcärya, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu devised ways to capture all kinds of atheists and materialists. Every äcärya has a specific means of propagating his spiritual movement with the aim of bringing men to Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore, the method of one äcärya may be different from that of another, but the ultimate goal is never neglected. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé recommends: tasmät kenäpy upäyena manaù kåñëe niveçayet sarve vidhi-niñedhäù syur etayor eva kiìkaräù An äcärya should devise a means by which people may somehow or other come to Kåñëa consciousness. First they should become Kåñëa conscious, and all the prescribed rules and regulations may later gradually be introduced. In our Kåñëa consciousness movement we follow this policy of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. For example, since boys and girls in the Western countries freely intermingle, special concessions regarding their customs and habits are necessary to bring them to Kåñëa consciousness. The äcärya must devise a means to bring them to devotional service. Therefore, although I am a sannyäsé I sometimes take part in getting boys and girls married, although in the history of sannyäsa no sannyäsé has personally taken part in marrying his disciples. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.37 The äcärya must strictly follow the rules and regulations in çästra, yet simultaneously adapt the rules according to place, time and object: Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu appeared to deliver all the fallen souls. Therefore He devised many methods to liberate them from the clutches of mäyä. PURPORT: It is the concern of the äcärya to show mercy to the fallen souls. In this connection, deçakäla-pätra (the place, the time and the object) should be taken into consideration. Since the European and American boys and girls in our Kåñëa consciousness movement preach together, less intelligent men criticize that they are mingling without restriction. In Europe and America boys and girls mingle unrestrictedly and have equal rights; therefore it is not possible to completely separate the men from the women. However, we are thoroughly instructing both men and women how to preach, and actually they are preaching wonderfully. Of course, we very strictly prohibit illicit sex. Boys and girls who are not married are not allowed to sleep together or live together, and there are separate arrangements for boys and girls in every temple. Gåhasthas live outside the temple, for in the temple we do not allow even husband and wife to live together. The results of this are wonderful. Both men and women are preaching the gospel of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Lord Kåñëa with redoubled strength. In this verse the words saba nistärite kare cäturé apära indicate that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted to deliver one and all. Therefore it is a principle that a preacher must strictly follow the rules and regulations laid down in 101

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the çästras yet at the same time devise a means by which the preaching work to reclaim the fallen may go on with full force. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.38

The spiritual master orders and empowers his disciples to preach (and to write) The spiritual master likes to see his disciples preach the sankértana movement for others’ benefit; the spiritual master authorizes the sincere devotee to do so: “’My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing saìkértana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting kåñëa-näma, for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.’” PURPORT: It is another ambition of the spiritual master to see his disciples not only chant, dance and follow the regulative principles but also preach the saìkértana movement to others in order to deliver them, for the Kåñëa consciousness movement is based on the principle that one should become as perfect as possible in devotional service oneself and also preach the cult for others’ benefit. ... Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura explains in his Anubhäñya, “A person who has attracted the attention of the spiritual master by his sincere service likes to dance and chant with similarly developed Kåñëa conscious devotees. The spiritual master authorizes such a devotee to deliver fallen souls in all parts of the world....” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.92 Disciples must follow the order of the spiritual master to preach all over the world: “The Lord has already ordered both of you brothers to situate yourselves in Våndävana. There you will achieve all happiness.” ... Sanätana Gosvämé replied, “You have given me very good advice. I shall certainly go there, for that is the place the Lord has given me for my residence.” PURPORT: The words prabhu-datta-deça are very significant. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s devotional cult teaches one not to sit down in one place but to spread the devotional cult all over the world. The Lord dispatched Sanätana Gosvämé and Rüpa Gosvämé to Våndävana to excavate and renovate the holy places and from there establish the cult of bhakti. Therefore Våndävana was given to Sanätana Gosvämé and Rüpa Gosvämé as their place of residence. Similarly, everyone in the line of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s devotional cult should accept the words of the spiritual master and thus spread the Kåñëa consciousness movement. They should go everywhere, to all parts of the world, accepting those places as prabhu-datta-deça, the places of residence given by the spiritual master or Lord Kåñëa. The spiritual master is the representative of Lord Kåñëa; therefore one who has carried out the orders of the spiritual master is understood to have carried out the orders of Kåñëa or Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted to spread the bhakti cult all over the world (påthivéte äche yata nagarädi gräma). Therefore devotees in the line of Kåñëa consciousness must go to different parts of the world and preach, as ordered by the spiritual master. That will satisfy Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 4.142, 144 The spiritual master gives the power to preach to the disciple who does not want anything material from his spiritual master but wants only to serve him: We have actually seen that one of the disciples of Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura wanted to enjoy the property of his spiritual master, and the spiritual master, being merciful toward him, gave him the temporary property, but not the power to preach the cult of Caitanya Mahäprabhu all over the world. That special mercy of the power to preach is given to a devotee who does not want anything material from his spiritual master but wants only to serve him. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.18.22 102

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In order to become an empowered preacher, one must be favored by Lord Caitanya or His devotee, the spiritual master: Whoever heard Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu chant, “Hari, Hari,” also chanted the holy name of Lord Hari and Kåñëa. In this way, they all followed the Lord, very eager to see Him. After some time, the Lord would embrace these people and bid them to return home, after investing them with spiritual potency. Being thus empowered, they would return to their own villages, always chanting the holy name of Kåñëa and sometimes laughing, crying and dancing. These empowered people used to request everyone and anyone-whomever they saw-to chant the holy name of Kåñëa. In this way all the villagers would also become devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT: In his Amåta-praväha-bhäñya, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura explains that this spiritual potency is the essence of the pleasure potency. By these two potencies, one is empowered with devotional service. Lord Kåñëa Himself, or His representative, the unalloyed devotee, can mercifully bestow these combined potencies upon any man. Being thus endowed with such potencies, one can become an unalloyed devotee of the Lord. Anyone favored by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was empowered with this bhakti-çakti. Thus the Lord’s followers were able to preach Kåñëa consciousness by divine grace.... In order to become an empowered preacher, one must be favored by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu or His devotee, the spiritual master. One must also request everyone to chant the mahä-mantra. In this way, such a person can convert others to Vaiñëavism, showing them how to become pure devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 7.98-101 One who is empowered by one’s spiritual master can deliver the whole world: It is said that a single pure devotee of the Lord can deliver all the fallen souls of the world. Thus one who is actually in the confidence of a pure devotee like Närada or Çukadeva Gosvämé and thus is empowered by one’s spiritual master, as Närada was by Brahmäjé, can not only deliver himself from the clutches of mäyä, or illusion, but can deliver the whole world by his pure and empowered devotional strength. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.8.5 In order to write transcendental literature, one must take permission from, and be empowered by, the spiritual master: In Våndävana there were also many other great devotees, all of whom desired to hear the last pastimes of Lord Caitanya. By their mercy, all these devotees ordered me to write of the last pastimes of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Because of their order only, although I am shameless, I have attempted to write this Caitanya-caritämåta. Having received the order of the Vaiñëavas but being anxious within my heart, I went to the temple of Madana-mohana in Våndävana to ask His permission also. PURPORT: Unless one is empowered by the higher authorities, or advanced devotees, one cannot write transcendental literature, for all such literature must be above suspicion, or, in other words, it must have none of the defects of conditioned souls, namely, mistakes, illusions, cheating and imperfect sense perceptions. The words of Kåñëa and the disciplic succession that carries the orders of Kåñëa are actually authoritative. To be empowered to write transcendental literature is a privilege in which a writer can take great pride. As a humble Vaiñëava, Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, being thus empowered, felt very much ashamed that it was he who was to narrate the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. ... A Vaiñëava always follows the order of guru and Kåñëa. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta was written by Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé by their mercy. Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé considered all the devotees that have been mentioned to be his preceptor gurus, or spiritual masters, and Madana-gopäla (Çré Madana-mohana vigraha) is Kåñëa Himself. Thus he took permission from both of them, and when he received the mercy of both guru and Kåñëa, he was able to write this great literature, Çré Caitanyacaritämåta. This example should be followed. Anyone who attempts to write about Kåñëa must first take permission from the spiritual master and Kåñëa. Kåñëa is situated in everyone’s heart, and the spiritual 103

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master is His direct external representative. Thus Kåñëa is situated antar-bahiù, within and without. One must first become a pure devotee by following the strict regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds daily, and when one thinks that he is actually on the Vaiñëava platform, he must then take permission from the spiritual master, and that permission must also be confirmed by Kåñëa from within his heart. Then, if one is very sincere and pure, he can write transcendental literature, either prose or poetry. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 8.71-73 To write on spiritual matters, one must have the blessings of the disciplic succession: ‘’I have thus given a synopsis of the Vaiñëava regulative principles. I have given this in brief just to give you a little direction. When you write on this subject, Kåñëa will help you by spiritually awakening you. PURPORT: One cannot write on spiritual matters without being blessed by Kåñëa and the disciplic succession of gurus. The blessings of the authorities are one’s power of attorney. One should not try to write anything about Vaiñëava behavior and activities without being authorized by superior authorities. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä: evaà paramparä-präptam imaà räjarñayo viduù [Bg. 4.2]. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.345

The spiritual master engages his disciples in Deity worship The spiritual master’s duty is to engage the disciples in worshiping the Deity: The third symptom of the guru is: çré-vigrahärädhana-nitya-nänäçåìgära-tan-mandira-märjanädau yuktasya bhaktäàç ca niyuïjato ‘pi vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam The spiritual master’s duty is to engage the disciples in worshiping the Deity, çré-vigraha. In all of our one hundred centers, we engage in Deity worship. ... Çré-vigrahärädhana-nitya-nänä-çåìgära-tan-mandira-märjanädau: Deity worship means to dress the Deity very nicely, to cleanse the temple very nicely, to offer nice foodstuffs to the Deity, and to accept the remnants of the Deity’s foodstuffs for our eating. This is the method of Deity worship. Deity worship is done by the guru himself, and he also engages his disciples in that worship. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2) The spiritual master should engage his disciple in Deity worship: Simple theoretical book knowledge is not sufficient for a neophyte devotee. Book knowledge is theoretical, whereas the arcana process is practical. Spiritual knowledge must be developed by a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, and that is the guaranteed way for attainment of spiritual perfection.... Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura has defined the bona fide qualities of a spiritual master, and one of the verses in that description reads: çré-vigrahärädhana-nitya-nänäçåìgära-tan-mandira-märjanädau yuktasya bhaktäàç ca niyuïjato ‘pi vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam 104

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Çré-vigraha is the arcä, or suitable worshipable form of the Lord, and the disciple should be engaged in worshiping the Deity regularly by çåìgära, by proper decoration and dressing, as also by mandira-märjana, the matter of cleansing the temple. The spiritual master teaches the neophyte devotee all these kindly and personally to help him gradually in the realization of the transcendental name, quality, form, etc., of the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.22 To perform Deity worship, one must learn the process from a bona fide spiritual master: If one is interested in the process of arcanam [Deity worship], one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.24

The spiritual master engages his disciple in Preparing, offering and distributing prasäda It is the spiritual master’s duty to engage his disciples in preparing, offering and distributing prasäda: Indeed, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was fully satisfied just to see how Lord Jagannätha accepted all the food. PURPORT: Following in the footsteps of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, a Vaiñëava should be fully satisfied simply to see a variety of food offered to the Deity of Jagannätha or Rädhä-Kåñëa. A Vaiñëava should not hunger for a variety of food for his own sake; rather, his satisfaction is in seeing various foods being offered to the Deity. In his Gurv-añöaka, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura writes: catur-vidha-çré-bhagavat-prasädasvädv-anna-tåptän hari-bhakta-saìghän kåtvaiva tåptià bhajataù sadaiva vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam “The spiritual master is always offering Kåñëa four kinds of delicious food (analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk and sucked). When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasäda, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.” The spiritual master’s duty is to engage his disciples in preparing varieties of nice food to offer the Deity. After being offered, this food is distributed as prasäda to the devotees. These activities satisfy the spiritual master, although he himself does not eat or require such a variety of prasäda. By seeing to the offering and distribution of prasäda, he himself is encouraged in devotional service. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 14.36 The spiritual master encourages, and is very much pleased by, distribution of prasäda: The fourth symptom [of the guru] is: catur-vidha-çré-bhagavat-prasädasvädv-anna-tåptän hari-bhakta-saìghän kåtvaiva tåptià bhajataù sadaiva vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam The spiritual master encourages distribution of prasäda (remnants of Kåñëa’s foodstuffs) to the public. Ours is not dry philosophy-simply talk and go away. No. We distribute prasäda, very sumptuous prasäda. In every temple, we offer prasäda to anyone who comes. In each and every temple we already have from 105

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fifty to two hundred devotees, and outsiders also come and take prasäda. So prasäda distribution is another symptom of the guru. ... Kåtvaiva tåptià bhajataù sadaiva: when the guru is fully satisfied that prasäda distribution is going on, he is very much pleased, and he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord by chanting and dancing. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2)

The spiritual master never claims to be God Although the spiritual master is considered as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he should not think himself God or exploit his prestigious position: Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura says, säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästraiù: in all the scriptures the spiritual master, who is the best of the brähmaëas, the best of the Vaiñëavas, is considered to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This does not mean, however, that the Vaiñëava thinks himself God, for this is blasphemous. Although a brähmaëa or Vaiñëava is worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such a devotee always remains a faithful servant of the Lord and never tries to enjoy the prestige that might accrue to him from being the Supreme Lord’s representative. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.14.41 The servants of God never claim to be God: Asuras are gradually rectified to God consciousness by the mercy of the Lord’s liberated servitors in different countries according to the supreme will. Such devotees of God are very confidential associates of the Lord, and when they come to save human society from the dangers of godlessness, they are known as the powerful incarnations of the Lord, as sons of the Lord, as servants of the Lord or as associates of the Lord. But none of them falsely claim to be God themselves. This is a blasphemy declared by the asuras, and the demoniac follows of such asuras also accept pretenders as God or His incarnation. In the revealed scriptures there is definite information of the incarnation of God. No one should be accepted as God or an incarnation of God unless he is confirmed by the revealed scriptures.... [The servants of God] never tolerate being called God. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was God Himself according to the indication of the revealed scriptures, but He played the part of a devotee. People who knew Him to be God addressed Him as God, but He used to block His ears with His hands and chant the name of Lord Viñëu. He strongly protested against being called God, although undoubtedly He was God Himself. The Lord behaves so to warn us against unscrupulous men who take pleasure in being addressed as God. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.16 The guru never claims to be God: The guru never says, “I am Kåñëa, I am God, I am Bhagavän.” Rather, the guru says, “I am the most humble servant of the servant of the servant of God.” He does not even say that he is the direct servant. Rather, he is the servant one hundred times removed. Gopé-bhartuù pada-kamalayor däsadäsänudäsaù [Cc. Mad 13.80]. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti A bona fide spiritual master never poses as the Supreme Lord Himself, but deserves as much respect as the Lord: A spiritual master never poses as the Supreme Lord Himself; he is considered a representative of the Lord. The revealed scriptures prohibit one’s pretending to be God, but a bona fide spiritual master is a most faithful and confidential servant of the Lord and therefore deserves as much respect as Kåñëa. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.44 106

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The spiritual master should be free from material motives A spiritual master should not accept a disciple for material benefit: A spiritual master should not be very anxious to accept a disciple because of his material opulences. Sometimes a big businessman or landlord may approach a spiritual master for initiation. Those who are materially interested are called viñayés (karmés), which indicates that they are very fond of sense gratification. Such viñayés sometimes approach a famous guru and ask to become a disciple just as a matter of fashion. Sometimes viñayés pose as disciples of a reputed spiritual master just to cover their activities and advertise themselves as advanced in spiritual knowledge. In other words, they want to attain material success. A spiritual master must be very careful in this regard. Such business is going on all over the world. The spiritual master does not accept a materially opulent disciple just to advertise the fact that he has such a big disciple. He knows that by associating with such viñayé disciples, he may fall down. One who accepts a viñayé disciple is not a bona fide spiritual master. Even if he is, his position may be damaged due to association with an unscrupulous viñayé. If a so-called spiritual master accepts a disciple for his personal benefit or for material gain, the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple turns into a material affair, and the spiritual master becomes like a smärta-guru. There are many caste gosvämés who professionally create some disciples who do not care for them or their instructions. Such spiritual masters are satisfied simply to get some material benefits from their disciples. Such a relationship is condemned by Çrlla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, who calls such spiritual masters and disciples a society of cheaters and cheated. They are also called bäulas or präkåta-sahajiyäs. Their aim is to make the connection between the spiritual master and the disciple into a very cheap thing. They are not serious in wanting to understand spiritual life. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.330 The spiritual master must never be carried away by an accumulation of wealth or a large number of followers: The spiritual master must never be carried away by an accumulation of wealth or a large number of followers. A bona fide spiritual master will never become like that. But sometimes, if a spiritual master is not properly authorized, and only on his own initiative becomes a spiritual master, he may be carried away by an accumulation of wealth and large numbers of disciples. His is not a very high grade of devotional service. If a person is carried away by such achievements, then his devotional service becomes slackened. One should, therefore, strictly adhere to the principles of disciplic succession. The Nectar of Devotion A Vaiñnava guru accepts contributions not for sense gratification, but for the service of the Lord: The Kåñëa conscious devotees collect the money of others for the service of Kåñëa, and they are satisfied with Kåñëa’s prasäda and whatever He gives them for their maintenance. They do not desire material comforts. However, they go to great pains to engage the possessions of prostitutes, or persons who are more or less like prostitutes, in the service of the Lord and thus free them from sinful reactions. A Vaiñëava guru accepts money or other contributions, but he does not employ such contributions for sense gratification. A pure Vaiñëava thinks himself unfit to help free even one person from the reactions of sinful life, but he engages one’s hard-earned money in the service of the Lord and thus frees one from sinful reactions. A Vaiñëava guru is never dependent on the contributions of his disciples. Following the instructions of Haridäsa Öhäkura, a pure Vaiñëava does not personally take even a single paisa from anyone, but he induces his followers to spend for the service of the Lord whatever possessions they have. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 3.139 The disciple should not desire material profit from his spiritual master and the spiritual master should not bestow benedictions upon the disciple to maintain a prestigious position: A servant who desires material profits from his master is certainly not a qualified servant or pure devo107

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tee. Similarly, a master who bestows benedictions upon his servant because of a desire to maintain a prestigious position as master is also not a pure master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.10.5

Other important instructions concerning the duties and proper behavior of the spiritual master The spiritual master rescues the householder from the dark well of household life with the strong rope of spiritual instructions: A man becomes increasingly entangled in household affairs, so much so that leaving them becomes almost impossible. Thus the household becomes gåham andha-küpam, a dark well into which the man has fallen. For such a man to get out is extremely difficult unless he is helped by a strong person, the spiritual master, who helps the fallen person with the strong rope of spiritual instructions. A fallen person should take advantage of this rope, and then the spiritual master, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, will take him out of the dark well. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.6.11-13 The disciple is trained to chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra under the guidance of a spiritual master: Caitanya Mahäprabhu has recommended that everyone chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not inclined to clean the dust from their heart and want to keep things as they are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra. One should, therefore, be encouraged to develop his service attitude toward the Lord, because this will help him to chant without any offense. And so, under the guidance of a spiritual master, the disciple is trained simultaneously to render service and at the same time to chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra. As soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the mahä-mantra. The Nectar of Devotion The spiritual master guides the disciple from the lower modes of nature to the mode of goodness: The association of the living entity with the different modes of nature has been going on perpetually since the living entity is in contact with material nature. Thus he acquires different types of mentality according to his association with the material modes. But this nature can be changed if one associates with a bona fide spiritual master and abides by his rules and the scriptures. Gradually, one can change his position from ignorance to goodness, or from passion to goodness. The conclusion is that blind faith in a particular mode of nature cannot help a person become elevated to the perfectional stage. One has to consider things carefully, with intelligence, in the association of a bona fide spiritual master. Thus one can change his position to a higher mode of nature. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 17.2 The spiritual master elevates the disciple to the sattva platform: One can get release from the conditioned life of material existence by devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. It is further comprehended herein that one has to rise to the platform of the mode of goodness (sattva) so that one can be eligible for the devotional service of the Lord. But if there are impediments on the progressive path, anyone, even from the platform of tamas, can gradually rise to the sattva platform by the expert direction of the spiritual master. Sincere candidates must, therefore, approach an expert spiritual master for such a progressive march, and the bona fide, expert spiritual master is competent to direct a disciple from any stage of life: tamas, rajas or sattva. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.24

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When the spiritual master returns the disciple’s obeisances. he is respecting the Supersoul in the disciple’s heart: When a learned person stands up or offers obeisances in welcome, he offers respect to the Supersoul, who is sitting within everyone’s heart. It is seen, therefore, among Vaiñëavas, that even when a disciple offers obeisances to his spiritual master, the spiritual master immediately returns the obeisances because they are mutually offered not to the body but to the Supersoul. Therefore the spiritual master also offers respect to the Supersoul situated in the body of the disciple. The Lord says in Çrémad-Bhägavatam that offering respect to His devotee is more valuable than offering respect to Him. Devotees do not identify with the body, so offering respect to a Vaiñëava means offering respect to Viñëu. It is stated also that as a matter of etiquette as soon as one sees a Vaiñëava one must immediately offer him respect, indicating the Supersoul within. A Vaiñëava sees the body as a temple of Viñëu. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.3.22 Although the äcärya is very strict in his principles, he may, because he is independent, sometimes be flexible: “My dear Lord, I know that You never mix with other sannyäsés, but please be merciful unto me and accept my invitation.” PURPORT: An äcärya or great personality of the Vaiñëava school is very strict in his principles, but although he is as hard as a thunderbolt, sometimes he is as soft as a rose. Thus actually he is independent. He follows all the rules and regulations strictly, but sometimes he slackens this policy. It was known that Lord Caitanya never mixed with the Mäyävädé sannyäsés, yet He conceded to the request of the brähmaëa. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.55 The spiritual master is always personally engaged in chanting and dancing (and thus teaching his disciples to do the same): The second test is, mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-géta-väditra-mädyan-manaso rasena. The second symptom of the guru is that he is always engaged in chanting, glorifying Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu-that is his business. Mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-géta. The spiritual master is dancing and chanting the holy name of the Lord, because that is the remedy for all calamities within this material world. Therefore, the guru is always engaged in chanting. Mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-géta-chanting and dancing. Unless he performs it himself, how can he teach his disciples? So his first symptom is that he will give you such instructions that immediately you will feel relief from all anxiety, and his second symptom is that he is always personally engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord and dancing. Mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-géta-väditra-mädyan-manaso rasena —the spiritual master enjoys transcendental bliss within his mind by chanting and dancing. “The Qualifications of the Spiritual Master” Back to Godhead magazine (Vol. 13, No. 1-2) The spiritual master should talk to the disciple with gravity: As Lord of all, [Kåñëa] is always in the superior position as the master of everyone, and yet the Lord accepts one who wishes to be a friend, a son, a lover or a devotee, or who wants Him in such a role. But when He was accepted as the master, He at once assumed the role and talked with the disciple like the master-with gravity, as it is required. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 2.10 A spiritual master should not accept money or foodstuffs from materialistic persons: “Advaita Äcärya, My spiritual master, should never accept charity from rich men or kings because if a spiritual master accepts money or grains from such materialists his mind becomes polluted.” 109

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PURPORT: It is very risky to accept money or foodstuffs from materialistic persons, for such acceptance pollutes the mind of the charity’s recipient. According to the Vedic system, one should give charity to sannyäsés and brähmaëas because one who thus gives charity becomes free from sinful activities. Formerly, therefore, brähmaëas would not accept charity from a person unless he were very pious. Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu gave this instruction for all spiritual masters.... a Vaiñëava should not even accept charity or foodstuffs from persons who do not follow the rules and regulations of the Vaiñëava principles. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 12.50 The spiritual master should not accept obeisances or permit a disciple to wash his feet before the Deity: There are many offenses one can commit while serving the Lord, and these are described in the Bhaktirasämåta-sindhu, Hari-bhakti-viläsa and other books. According to the rules and regulations, no one should accept obeisances in the temple of the Lord before the Deity. Nor is it proper for a devotee to offer obeisances and touch the feet of the spiritual master before the Deity. This is considered an offense. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu Himself was personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore it was not actually offensive to wash His lotus feet in the temple. However, because He was playing the part of an äcärya, the Lord considered Himself an ordinary human being. He also wanted to give instructions to ordinary human beings. The point is that even though one plays the part of a spiritual master, he should not accept obeisances or permit a disciple to wash his feet before the Deity. This is a matter of etiquette. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 12.127 The spiritual master should not act in such a way to become obliged to his disciples: A person may have many disciples, but he should not act in such a way that he will be obliged to any of them for some particular action or some favor. The Nectar of Devotion A spiritual master has no business in reading many books to get popularity as a lecturer: A bona fide spiritual master has no business to read many books simply to show his proficiency or to get popularity by lecturing in different places. The Nectar of Devotion It is improper for one seated on a vyäsäsana to stand up to receive a person: “When one is seated on the vyäsäsana, it is improper for him to stand up to receive a person.” Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead A person seated on the vyäsäsana does not generally have to stand up to receive anyone: When a person is seated on the vyäsäsana, he does not generally have to stand up to receive a particular person entering the assembly. Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead The spiritual master has to select a mantra suited to the particular disciple: The word sarva-mantra-vicäraëa means “considering all different types of mantras.” There are different kinds of mantras for different kinds of devotees. There are the mantras known as the dvädaçäkñara, and these are composed of twelve syllables. Similarly, there are mantras composed of eighteen syllables— the Narasiàha mantra, the Räma mantra, Gopäla mantra and so on. Each and every mantra has its own spiritual significance. The spiritual master has to select a mantra for his disciple according to the disciple’s ability to chant different mantras. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.330 110

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The requirement for an äsana for the spiritual master (fifth item of Deity worship in Hari-bhakti-viläsa): (5) There must be an äsana, a sitting place before the altar. This äsana is for the spiritual master. The disciple brings everything before the spiritual master, and the spiritual master offers everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.334 If a disciple falls at the feet of the spiritual master, the spiritual master responds by smelling the disciple’s head: If a child or disciple falls at the feet of the father or spiritual master, the superior responds by smelling the head of the subordinate. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.21

5. Other Important Instructions Concerning the Spiritual Master Lord Kåñëa sends the spiritual master to the sincere soul (or the sincere soul to the spiritual master) Kåñëa sends (appears as) a spiritual master to the sincere devotee: jéve säkñät nähi täte guru caittya-rüpe çikñä-guru haya kåñëa mahänta-svarüpe Since one cannot visually experience the presence of the Supersoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is no one other than Kåñëa Himself. PURPORT: It is not possible for a conditioned soul to directly meet Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if one becomes a sincere devotee and seriously engages in devotional service, Lord Kåñëa sends an instructing spiritual master to show him favor and invoke his dormant propensity for serving the Supreme. The preceptor appears before the external senses of the fortunate conditioned soul, and at the same time the devotee is guided from within by the caitya-guru, Kåñëa, who is seated as the spiritual master within the heart of the living entity. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.58 The Lord Himself appears as the spiritual master to the sincere devotee: The Lord Himself appears as the spiritual master to a person who is sincere in heart about serving the Lord. Therefore the bona fide spiritual master who happens to meet the sincere devotee should be accepted as the most confidential and beloved representative of the Lord. If a person is posted under the guidance of such a bona fide spiritual master, it may be accepted without any doubt that the desiring person has achieved the grace of the Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.7 The Lord appears as the spiritual master to guide the devotee toward the ultimate destination of perfection: It one takes shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, it is to be understood that he has obtained the grace of the Lord. The Lord appears as the spiritual master for the devotee. Thus the spiritual master, the Vedic injunctions, and the Lord Himself from within all guide the devotee in full strength. Thus there is no chance for a devotee to fall again into the mäyä of material illusion. The devotee, thus protected all around, is sure the reach the ultimate destination of perfection. Çré Éçopaniñad Mantra 18 111

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Out of compassion for the conditioned souls, the Lord sends His representative, the spiritual master, whom He always protects: The Lord desires the conditioned souls hovering in the material creation to be reclaimed to go back home, back to Godhead, and thus He helps them by preparing the transcendental literatures like the Vedas, by sending missionaries of saints and sages and by deputing His representative, the spiritual master. Such transcendental literatures, missionaries and representatives of the Lord are spotlessly white because the contamination of the material qualities cannot even touch them. They are always protected by the Lord when they are threatened with annihilation. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.12.16 The Lord sends His representative, the spiritual master, to the sincere soul seeking perfection: Otherwise [without being inspired by Lord Kåñëa] how is it that you have voluntarily appeared here, though you are moving incognito to the common man and are not visible to us who are on the verge of death? PURPORT: The great sage Çukadeva Gosvämé was certainly inspired by Lord Kåñëa to appear voluntarily before Mahäräja Parékñit, the great devotee of the Lord, just to give him the teachings of ÇrémadBhägavatam. One can achieve the nucleus of the devotional service of the Lord by the mercy of the spiritual master and the Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is the manifested representative of the Lord to help one achieve ultimate success. One who is not authorized by the Lord cannot become a spiritual master. Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé is an authorized spiritual master, and thus he was inspired by the Lord to appear before Mahäräja Parékñit and instruct him in the teachings of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. One can achieve the ultimate success of going back to Godhead if he is favored by the Lord’s sending His true representative. As soon as a true representative of the Lord is met by a devotee of the Lord, the devotee is assured a guarantee for going back to Godhead just after leaving the present body. This, however, depends on the sincerity of the devotee himself. The Lord is seated in the heart of all living beings, and thus He knows very well the movements of all individual persons. As soon as the Lord finds that a particular soul is very eager to go back to Godhead, the Lord at once sends His bona fide representative. The sincere devotee is thus assured by the Lord of going back to Godhead. The conclusion is that to get the assistance and help of a bona fide spiritual master means to receive the direct help of the Lord Himself. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.19.36 If one is eager to revive his God consciousness, God sends him a spiritual master: Çréla Prabhupäda: ... The spiritual master is one who has received the mercy of God, and he can deliver the solution to the confused man. One who has received the mercy of God can become a spiritual master and deliver that mercy to others. Mr. O’Grady: The problem is to find this spiritual master. Çréla Prabhupäda: That is not the problem. The problem is whether you are sincere. You have problems, but God is within your heart. Éçvaraù sarva-bhutänäm [Bg. 18.61]. God is not far away. If you are sincere, God sends you a spiritual master. Therefore God is also called caitya-guru, the spiritual master within the heart. God helps from within and from without. Everything is thus described in the Bhagavad-gétä. This material body is like a machine, but within the heart is the soul, and within the soul is the Supersoul, Kåñëa, who gives directions. The Lord says, “You wanted to do this; now here is the chance. Go and do it.” If you are sincere, you say, “Now, God, I want You.” Then He will give you directions. “Yes, now you come and get Me like this.” This is His kindness. However, if we want something else, that is all right. We can have it. God is very kind. When I want something, He is in my heart directing me and telling me how to have it. So why should He not give directions on how to have a spiritual master? First of all we must again be eager to revive our God consciousness. Then God will give us a spiritual master. The Science of Self-Realization 112

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The Lord sends His bona fide representative, the spiritual master, to one who sincerely wants to surrender unto Him: Sometimes there are inquiries as to how one can surrender unto the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavadgétä (18.66) the Lord asked Arjuna to surrender unto Him, and therefore persons unwilling to do so question where God is and to whom they should surrender. The answer to such questions or inquiries is given herein very properly. The Personality of Godhead may not be present before one’s eyes, but if one is sincere in wanting such guidance the Lord will send a bona fide person who can guide one properly back home, back to Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.7.46 To liberate conditioned souls, Kåñëa engages His confidential servants as spiritual masters and gives the living entities the conscience whereby they can accept the spiritual master: The conditioned soul is bewildered by the external material energy, which fully engages him in a variety of sense gratification. Due to engagement in material activities, one’s original Kåñëa consciousness is covered. However, as the supreme father of all living entities, Kåñëa wants His sons to return home, back to Godhead; therefore He personally comes to deliver Vedic literatures like Bhagavad-gétä. He engages His confidential servants who serve as spiritual masters and enlighten the conditioned living entities. Being present in everyone’s heart, the Lord gives the living entities the conscience whereby they can accept the Vedas and the spiritual master. In this way the living entity can understand his constitutional position and his relationship with the Supreme Lord. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 20.125 Lord Kåñëa gives the sincere living entity the chance to meet a bona fide spiritual master: brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. By the mercy of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” PURPORT: Kåñëa is situated in everyone’s heart, and if one desires something, Kåñëa’s fulfills one’s desire. If the living entity by chance or fortune comes in contact with the Kåñëa consciousness movement and wishes to associate with that movement, Kåñëa, who is situated in everyone’s heart, gives him the chance to meet a bona fide spiritual master. This is called guru-kåñëa-prasäde. Kåñëa is prepared to bestow His mercy upon all living entities, and as soon as a living entity desires the Lord’s mercy, the Lord immediately gives him an opportunity to meet a bona fide spiritual master. Such a person is fortified by both Kåñëa and the spiritual master. He is helped from within by Kåñëa and from without by the spiritual master. Both are prepared to help the sincere living being become free from this material bondage. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 19.151 Kåñëa gives the sincere seeker the intelligence to find a suitable spiritual master: One [should] find a person who knows the science of God, or a tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means one who knows the Absolute Truth.... One has to be freed from all contamination, and at the same time he has to find a person who knows the science of Kåñëa. Kåñëa helps a sincere person; as stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta, guru-kåñëa-prasäde: by the mercy of the spiritual master and Kåñëa, one attains the path of salvation, devotional service. If one sincerely searches for spiritual salvation, then Kåñëa, being situ113

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ated in everyone’s heart, gives him the intelligence to find a suitable spiritual master. By the grace of a spiritual master like Maitreya, one gets the proper instruction and advances in spiritual life. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.20.4 The Lord, as Supersoul, directs the living entity who is seeking liberation to His representative, the spiritual master: The living entities wander in life after life, undergoing the miserable conditions of material existence. But when one is very anxious to get free from the material entanglement, then he gets enlightenment through a spiritual master and Kåñëa. This means that Kåñëa as the Supersoul is seated within the heart of the living entity, and when the living entity is serious, the Lord directs him to take shelter of His representative, a bona fide spiritual master. Directed from within and guided externally by the spiritual master, one attains the path of Kåñëa consciousness, which is the way out of the material clutches. Therefore there is no possibility of one’s being situated in his own position unless he is blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless he is enlightened with the supreme knowledge, one has to undergo the severe penalties of the hard struggle for existence in the material nature. The spiritual master is therefore the mercy manifestation of the Supreme Person. The conditioned soul has to take direct instruction from the spiritual master, and thus he gradually becomes enlightened to the path of Kåñëa consciousness. The seed of Kåñëa consciousness is sown within the heart of the conditioned soul, and when one hears instructions from the spiritual master, the seed fructifies, and his life is blessed. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.31.16

Kåñëa enlightens the living entity from within as the Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master Kåñëa instructs a fortunate conditioned soul from within as the Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master: kåñëa yadi kåpä kare kona bhägyaväne guru-antaryämi-rupe çikhäya äpane “Kåñëa is situated in everyone’s heart as caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. When He is kind to some fortunate conditioned soul, He personally gives one lessons to progress in devotional service, instructing the person as the Supersoul within and the spiritual master without.” Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 22.47 To deliver the embodied living being, Kåñëa appears in two features—the äcärya and the Supersoul: naivopayanty apacitaà kavayas taveça brahmäyuñäpi kåtam åddha-mudaù smarantaù yo ‘ntar bahis tanu-bhåtäm açubhaà vidhunvann äcärya-caitya-vapuñä sva-gatià vyanakti ‘’O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahmä, for You appear in two features-externally as the äcärya and internally as the Supersoul-to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You.” Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.29.6 [cited: Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 22.48] The disciple takes dictation from the spiritual master from without and the Supersoul from within: A person in full Kåñëa consciousness acts by the dictation of Kåñëa. In the beginning of Kåñëa consciousness, dictation is received through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. When one 114

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is sufficiently trained and acts in submissive faith and love for Kåñëa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. This stage of devotional service by the devotee in Kåñëa consciousness is the most perfect stage of the yoga system. At this stage, Kåñëa, or the Supersoul, dictates from within, while from without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of Kåñëa. From within He helps the devotee as caitya, for He is seated within the heart of everyone. Understanding that God is seated within everyone’s heart is not, however, sufficient. One has to be acquainted with God from both within and without, and one must take dictation from within and without to act in Kåñëa consciousness. This is the highest perfectional stage of the human form of life and the topmost perfection of all yoga. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.15.45 In the neophyte stage, Kåñëa dictates to the devotee from without, through the spiritual master. In an advanced stage, He dictates from within as caitya-guru: A person in full Kåñëa consciousness acts by the dictation of Kåñëa.... In the beginning of Kåñëa consciousness this dictation of the Lord is received through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. When one is sufficiently trained and acts with submissive faith and love for Kåñëa, under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. At this stage Kåñëa dictates from within. From without, the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Kåñëa, and from within the Lord helps the devotee as caitya-guru, being seated within the heart of everyone. The Science of Self-Realization After one is fully trained by Kåñëa’s representative, the spiritual master, Kåñëa acts as one’s spiritual master directly, from within: Kåñëa can become the director and spiritual master of anyone who is serious about getting the mercy of Kåñëa. The Lord sends the spiritual master to train a devotee, and when the devotee is advanced, the Lord acts as the spiritual master within his heart. teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà préti-pürvakam dadämi buddhi-yogaà taà yena mäm upayänti te “To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” Kåñëa does not become the direct spiritual master unless one is fully trained by His representative spiritual master.... Kåñëa helps as the guru, or spiritual master, from within and from without. From without He helps the devotee as His representative, and from within He talks personally with the pure devotee and gives him instructions by which he may return home, back to Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.15.76 The Supersoul, the spiritual master within, directs the sincere soul to the external spiritual master, who trains him in devotional service. When the disciple becomes advanced, the Supersoul guides him from within: The Supreme Personality of Godhead speaks directly to the individual soul when the devotee has completely purified himself by rendering devotional service to the Lord.... The Lord is the Supersoul seated in everyone’s heart, and He acts as the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. However, He gives direct instructions only to the advanced pure devotees. In the beginning, when a devotee is serious and sincere, the Lord gives him directions from within to approach a bona fide spiritual master. When one is trained by the spiritual master according to the regulative principles of devotional service and is situ115

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ated on the platform of spontaneous attachment for the Lord (räga-bhakti), the Lord also gives instructions from within. Teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà préti-pürvakam [Bg. 10.10]. This distinct advantage is obtained by a liberated soul. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.41 When the spiritual master departs, the devotee, if he is pure in heart, is immediately guided by the Supersoul: One who is sincere and pure gets an opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramätmä feature sitting within everyone’s heart. The Paramätmä is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. The Lord can reside within the heart, and He can also come out before a person and give him instructions. Thus the spiritual master is not different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart. An uncontaminated soul or living entity can get a chance to meet the Paramätmä face to face. Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramätmä within his heart, he also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him. Then one can take instructions from the Supersoul directly. This is the duty of the pure devotee: to see the bona fide spiritual master and consult with the Supersoul within the heart.... [When the spiritual master physically departs] the Supersoul immediately appears, provided the devotee is purified in heart by following the directions of the spiritual master. A sincere devotee who follows the instructions of the spiritual master certainly gets direct instructions from his heart from the Supersoul. Thus a sincere devotee is always helped directly or indirectly by the spiritual master and the Supersoul. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta: guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja [Cc Mad 19.151]. If the devotee serves his spiritual master sincerely, Kåñëa automatically becomes pleased. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù. By satisfying the spiritual master, one automatically satisfies Kåñëa. Thus the devotee becomes enriched by both the spiritual master and Kåñëa. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.52 The Lord rectifies the conditioned souls from without as the spiritual master: Although qualitatively one with the Lord, the living being, due to contamination of the material world, is pervertedly manifested, and therefore he experiences so-called happiness and distress in the material world.... There is, however, a regular current from the Lord Himself, from within and without, by which to rectify the fallen condition of the living being. From within, He corrects the desiring living beings as localized Paramätmä, and from without He corrects by His manifestations, the spiritual master and the revealed scriptures. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.13.48 The Supreme Godhead, who is the original spiritual master, manifests as spiritual master both internally and externally to help the conditioned soul: The Supreme Godhead in His Paramätmä feature is present in everyone’s heart, and He is always trying to induce the individual soul to surrender unto Him and to engage in devotional service; therefore He is the original spiritual master. He manifests Himself as spiritual master both internally and externally to help the conditioned soul both ways. Therefore He has been mentioned herein as gurum. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.21.36 The Lord becomes the spiritual master to reclaim the conditioned souls: The conditioned souls are being reclaimed by the Lord both ways, namely by the process of punishment by the external energy of the Lord, and by Himself as the spiritual master within and without. Within the heart of every living being the Lord Himself as the Supersoul (Paramätmä) becomes the spiritual master, and from without He becomes the spiritual master in the shape of scriptures, saints and the initiator spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.7.5

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The spiritual master is the external manifestation of the Supersoul: The supreme spiritual master is Kåñëa, who is therefore known as caitya-guru. This refers to the Supersoul, who is sitting in everyone’s heart. He helps from within as stated in Bhagavad-gétä, and He sends the spiritual master, who helps from without. The spiritual master is the external manifestation of the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master sitting in everyone’s heart. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.8.44 The Lord enlightens the devotees from within, and from without as the spiritual master: My dear Lord, Your two lotus feet are so beautiful that they appear like two blossoming petals of the lotus flower which grows during the autumn season. Indeed, the nails of Your lotus feet emanate such a great effulgence that they immediately dissipate all the darkness in the heart of a conditioned soul. My dear Lord, kindly show me that form of Yours which always dissipates all kinds of darkness in the heart of a devotee. My dear Lord, You are the supreme spiritual master of everyone; therefore all conditioned souls covered with the darkness of ignorance can be enlightened by You as the spiritual master. PURPORT: The Lord is the supreme spiritual master, and the bona fide representative of the Supreme Lord is also a spiritual master. The Lord from within enlightens the devotees by the effulgence of the nails of His lotus feet, and His representative, the spiritual master, enlightens from without. Only by thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and always taking the spiritual master’s advice can one advance in spiritual life and understand Vedic knowledge ... the Vedas enjoin that for one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of the Lord, as well as in the spiritual master, the real import of Vedic knowledge can be revealed. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.24.52 Kåñëa delivers the conditioned soul through the Vedic literatures, the realized spiritual master and the Supersoul: “The forgetful conditioned soul is educated by Kåñëa through the Vedic literatures, the realized spiritual master and the Supersoul. Through these, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is, and he can understand that Lord Kåñëa is his eternal master and deliverer from the clutches of mäyä. In this way one can acquire real knowledge of his conditioned life and can come to understand how to attain liberation.” PURPORT: Being forgetful of his real position, the conditioned soul may take help from çästra, guru and the Supersoul within his heart. Kåñëa is situated within everyone’s heart as the Supersoul.... As the çaktyäveça-avatära, Vyäsadeva teaches the conditioned soul through Vedic literatures. Kåñëa externally appears as the spiritual master and trains the conditioned soul to come to Kåñëa consciousness. When his original Kåñëa consciousness is revived, the conditioned soul is delivered from the material clutches. Thus a conditioned soul is always helped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in three ways-by the scriptures, the spiritual master and the Supersoul within the heart. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 20.123

The three kinds of spiritual masters (déksä, çiksä and vartma-pradarçaka) The three kinds of gurus defined: One who first gives information about spiritual life is called the vartma-pradarçaka-guru or spiritual master. The spiritual master who initiates according to the regulations of the çästras is called dékñäguru, and the spiritual master who gives instructions for elevation is called çiksä-guru. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.128 117

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The nature and function of initiating (dékñä) and instructing (çikñä) gurus: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual masters, the devotees of the Lord, the Lord’s incarnations, His plenary portions, His energies, and the primeval Lord Himself, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya. PURPORT: Gurun is plural in number because anyone who gives spiritual instructions based on the revealed scriptures is accepted as a spiritual master. Although others give help in showing the way to beginners, the guru who first initiates one with the mahä-mantra is to be known as the initiator, and the saints who give instructions for progressive advancement in Kåñëa consciousness are called instructing spiritual masters. The initiating and instructing spiritual masters are equal and identical manifestations of Kåñëa, although they have different dealings. Their function is to guide the conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.34 A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master but can have unlimited instructing spiritual masters: mantra-guru ära yata çikñä-guru-gaëa täìhära caraëa äge kariye vandana I first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters. PURPORT: A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept. Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.35 Two kinds of instructing spiritual masters: Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé states that the instructing spiritual master is a bona fide representative of Çré Kåñëa.... There are two kinds of instructing spiritual masters. One is the liberated person fully absorbed in meditation in devotional service, and the other is he who invokes the disciple’s spiritual consciousness by means of relevant instructions. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.47 The disciple adores his different gurus equally: All glories to Cintämaëi and my initiating spiritual master, Somagiri. All glories to my instructing spiritual master, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who wears peacock feathers in His crown.... (Kåñëakarëämåta) PURPORT: In the beginning of [Kåñëa-karëämåta, Bilvamaìgala Öhäkura] has offered his obeisances to his different gurus, and it is to be noted that he has adored them all equally. The first spiritual master mentioned is Cintämaëi, who was his instructing spiritual master because she first showed him the spiritual path. Cintämaëi was a prostitute with whom Bilvamaìgala was intimate earlier in his life. She gave him the inspiration to begin on the path of devotional service, and because she convinced him to give up material existence to try for perfection by loving Kåñëa, he has first offered his respects to her. Next he offers his respects to his initiating spiritual master, Somagiri, and then to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was also his instructing spiritual master. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.57

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The initiating spiritual master is a personal manifestation of Çréla Madana-mohana vigraha. The instructing spiritual master is a personal representative of Çréla Govindadeva vigraha: Çré Govindajé acts exactly like the çikñä-guru (instructing spiritual master) by teaching Arjuna Bhagavad-gétä. He is the original preceptor, for He gives us instructions and an opportunity to serve Him. The initiating spiritual master is a personal manifestation of Çréla Madana-mohana vigraha, whereas the instructing spiritual master is a personal representative of Çréla Govindadeva vigraha. Both of these Deities are worshiped at Våndävana. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.47 Definition of patha-pradarçaka-guru, çikñä-guru and dékñä-guru: Dhruva was seated in the transcendental airplane, which was just about to start, when he remembered his poor mother, Sunéti. He thought to himself, “How shall I go alone to the Vaikuëöha planet and leave behind my poor mother?” PURPORT: Dhruva had a feeling of obligation to his mother, Sunéti. It was Sunéti who gave him the clue which had enabled him to now be personally carried to the Vaikuëöha planet by the associates of Lord Viñëu. He now remembered her and wanted to take her with him. Actually, Dhruva Mahäräja’s mother, Sunéti, was his patha-pradarçaka-guru. Patha-pradarçaka-guru means the guru or the spiritual master who shows the way. Such a guru is sometimes called çikñä-guru. Although Närada Muni was his dékñä-guru (initiating spiritual master), Sunéti, his mother, was the first who gave him instruction on how to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the duty of the çikñä-guru or dékñä-guru to instruct the disciple in the right way, and it depends on the disciple to execute the process. According to çästric injunctions, there is no difference between çikñä-guru and dékñä-guru, and generally the çikñä-guru later on becomes the dékñä-guru. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.12.32 A non-brähmaëa may become a dikñä-guru as well as a sikñä or vartma-pradarçaka-guru: kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya “Whether one is a brähmaëa, a sannyäsé or a çüdra-regardless of what he is-he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kåñëa.” PURPORT: If one becomes a guru, he is automatically a brähmaëa. Sometimes a caste guru says that yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei ‘guru’ haya means that one who is not a brähmaëa may become a çikñä-guru or a vartma-pradarçaka-guru but not an initiator guru. According to such caste gurus, birth and family ties are considered foremost. However, the hereditary consideration is not acceptable to Vaiñëavas. The word guru is equally applicable to the vartma-pradarçaka-guru, çikñä-guru and dékñä-guru. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.128

Titles of respect applicable to the spiritual master The spiritual master can be addressed as “gosvämé”: One who has control of the senses is called a gosäïi or a gosvämé, master of the senses. The senses cannot be controlled unless one is engaged in the service of the Lord; therefore the bona fide spiritual master, who has full control over his senses, engages twenty-four hours a day in the Lord’s service. He can therefore be addressed as a gosäïi or gosvämé. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.289 The title “gosvämé” can be given not according to heredity, but to a Kåñëa conscious spiritual master: The title gosvämé cannot be inherited but can be given only to a bona fide spiritual master. 119

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There were six great Gosvämés of Våndävana-Çréla Rüpa, Sanätana, Bhaööa Raghunätha, Çré Jéva, Gopäla Bhaööa and Däsa Raghunätha-and none of them inherited the title of gosvämé. All the Gosvämés of Våndävana were bona fide spiritual masters situated on the highest platform of devotional service, and for that reason they were called gosvämés. All the temples of Våndävana were certainly started by the six Gosvämés. Later the worship in the temples was entrusted to some householder disciples of the Gosvämés, and since then the hereditary title of gosvämé has been used. However, only one who is a bona fide spiritual master expanding the cult of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. the Kåñëa consciousness movement, and who is in full control of his senses can be addressed as a gosvämé. Unfortunately, the hereditary process is going on; therefore at the present moment, in most cases the title is being misused due to ignorance of the word’s etymology. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.289 The spiritual master as paramahaàsa: The spiritual master who is fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and has no business other than the Lord’s service is called the best of the paramahaàsas. A paramahaàsa has no program for sense gratification; he is interested only in satisfying the senses of the Lord. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.289 The äcärya is called paramahaàsa-öhäkura: Since he [“the true äcärya, the spiritual master of the entire world”] is understood to be the most advanced devotee, he is called paramahaàsa-öhäkura. Öhäkura is a title of honor offered to the paramahaàsa. Therefore one who acts as an äcärya, directly presenting Lord Kåñëa by spreading His name and fame, is also to be called paramahaàsa-öhäkura. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 7.12 The proper use of the titles gosäïi and öhäkura: Haridäsa Öhäkura was so exalted that he was addressed as öhäkura and gosäïi, and these titles are offered to the most advanced Vaiñëavas. The spiritual master is generally called gosäïi, and öhäkura is used to address the paramahaàsas, those in the topmost rank of spirituality. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 11.165 The meaning of “jagad-guru”: One who trains his subordinate or disciple to worship Väsudeva is the truly bona fide spiritual master. The word jagad-gurum is very important in this regard. Kaçyapa Muni did not falsely declare himself to be jagad-guru, although he actually was jagad-guru because he advocated the cause of Väsudeva. Actually, Väsudeva is jagad-guru, as clearly stated here (väsudevaà jagad-gurum). One who teaches the instructions of Väsudeva, Bhagavad-gétä, is as good as väsudevaà jagad-gurum. But when one who does not teach this instruction-as it is-declares himself jagad-guru, he simply cheats the public. Kåñëa is jagad-guru, and one who teaches the instruction of Kåñëa as it is, on behalf of Kåñëa, may be accepted as jagad-guru. One who manufactures his own theories cannot be accepted; he becomes jagad-guru falsely. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.16.20 The qualifications of a jagad-guru: A person who knows what is spiritual and what is material and who is firmly fixed in the spiritual position can be jagad-guru, the spiritual master of the entire world. One cannot become jagad-guru simply by advertising oneself as jagad-guru without knowing the essential principles for becoming jagad-guru. Even people who never see what a jagad-guru is and never talk with other people become puffed-up sannyäsés and declare themselves jagad-gurus. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu did not like this. Any person 120

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who knows the science of Kåñëa and who is fully qualified in spiritual life can become jagad-guru. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 5.85 Añöottara-çata (108) is added to the spiritual master’s name to indicate one who is situated in the transcendental state: The living entity is constitutionally pure. Asaìgo hy ayaà puruñaù. In the Vedic literature it is said that the soul is always pure and uncontaminated by material attachment. The identification of the body with the soul is due to misunderstanding. As soon as one is fully Kåñëa conscious it is to be understood that one is in his pure, original constitutional position. This state of existence is called çuddha-sattva, which means that it is transcendental to the material qualities. ... In pure devotional service one simply serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a matter of duty, without reason and without being impeded by material conditions. That is called çuddha-sattva, or vasudeva, because in that stage the Supreme Person, Kåñëa, is revealed in the heart of the devotee. Çréla Jéva Gosvämé has very nicely described this vasudeva, or çuddha-sattva, in his Bhägavata-sandarbha. He explains that añöottara-çata (108) is added to the name of the spiritual master to indicate one who is situated in çuddha-sattva, or in the transcendental state of vasudeva. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.3.23 The term “Prabhupäda” means that the spiritual master occupies the post of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as His representative: This word [prabhu] is applicable to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes the spiritual master is addressed as Prabhupäda. Prabhu means “the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” and päda means “post.” According to Vaiñëava philosophy, the spiritual master occupies the post of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or in other words he is the bona fide representative of the Supreme Lord. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.8.69 The meaning of “Prabhupäda”: When Påthu Mahäräja became spiritually powerful by the enhancement of his spiritual knowledge, jïäna and renunciation of material desires, he became a prabhu, or master of his senses (sometimes called gosvämé or svämi). This means that he was no longer controlled by the influence of material energy. When one is strong enough to give up the influence of material energy, he is called prabhu ... when one is completely self-realized and acts according to that position, he can be called prabhu. The spiritual master is addressed as “Prabhupäda,” because he is a completely self-realized soul. The word päda means “position,” and Prabhupäda indicates that he is given the position of prabhu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for he acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless one is a prabhu, or controller of the senses, he cannot act as spiritual master. He is authorized by the supreme prabhu, or Lord Kåñëa. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.23.18 The meaning of “Prabhu” and “Prabhupäda”: When Käçé Miçra heard the proposal, he said, “I am very fortunate that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the Lord of all prabhus, will stay at my home.” PURPORT: In this verse the word Prabhupäda, referring to Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, is significant. Regarding this, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Prabhupäda comments, “Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Çré Kåñëa, and all His servants address Him as Prabhupäda. This means that there are many prabhus taking shelter under His lotus feet.” The pure Vaiñëava is addressed as prabhu, and this address is an etiquette observed between Vaiñëavas. When many prabhus remain under the shelter of the lotus feet of another prabhu, the address Prabhupäda is given. Çré Nityänanda Prabhu and Çré Advaita Prabhu are also addressed as Prabhupäda. Çré 121

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Caitanya Mahäprabhu, Çré Advaita Prabhu and Çré Nityänanda Prabhu are all viñëu-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viñëu. Therefore all living entities are under Their lotus feet. Lord Viñëu is the eternal Lord of everyone, and the representative of Lord Viñëu is the Lord’s confidential servant. Such a person acts as the spiritual master for neophyte Vaiñëavas; therefore the spiritual master is as respectable as Çré Kåñëa Caitanya or Lord Viñëu Himself. For this reason, the spiritual master is addressed as Oà Viñëupäda or Prabhupäda. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 10.23

Things used by the spiritual master are worshipable The guru and things used by him are worshipable: Lord Nityänanda Prabhu then obtained an external garment used by the Lord by requesting it from Govinda. Thus Nityänanda Prabhu delivered the old cloth to the care of Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya, and Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya sent it to the King. When the King received the old cloth, he began to worship it exactly as he would worship the Lord personally. PURPORT: We should learn to worship everything belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is referred to by Lord Çiva as tadéyänäm. In the Padma Puräëa it is said: ärädhanänäà sarveñäà viñëor ärädhanaà param tasmät parataraà devi tadéyänäà samarcanam “O Devé, the most exalted system of worship is the worship of Lord Viñëu. Greater than that is the worship of tadéya, or anything belonging to Viñëu.” Çré Viñëu is sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. Similarly, the most confidential servant of Kåñëa, the spiritual master, and all devotees of Viñëu are tadéya. The sac-cid-änanda-vigraha, guru, Vaiñëavas, and things used by them must be considered tadéya and without a doubt worshipable by all living beings. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 12.38 Things used by the spiritual master are worshipable and should not be used by anyone else: “Now please sit in this place and take Your lunch. Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied, “This place is worshipable because it was used by Kåñëa.” PURPORT: According to etiquette, things used by Kåñëa should not be used by anyone else. Similarly, things used by the spiritual master should also not be used by anyone else. That is etiquette. Whatever is used by Kåñëa or the spiritual master is worshipable. In particular, their sitting or eating places should not be used by anyone else. A devotee must be very careful to observe this. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 15.234

The disciple benefits by taking remnants of food left by the spiritual master The remnants of food left by the spiritual master are purifying: When the rice thrown by Nityänanda Prabhu touched His body, Advaita Äcärya thought Himself purified by the touch of remnants thrown by Paramahaàsa Nityänanda. Therefore He began dancing. PURPORT: The remnants of food left by a pure Vaiñëava are called mahä-mahä-prasäda. This is completely spiritual and is identified with Lord Viñëu. Such remnants are not ordinary. The spiritual master is to be considered on the stage of paramahaàsa and beyond the jurisdiction of the varëäçrama 122

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institution. The remnants of food left by the spiritual master and similar paramahaàsas or pure Vaiñëavas are purifying. When an ordinary person touches such prasäda, his mind is purified, and his mind is raised to the status of a pure brähmaëa. The behavior and statements of Advaita Äcärya are meant for the understanding of ordinary people who are unaware of the strength of spiritual values, not knowing the potency of foodstuffs left by the bona fide spiritual master and pure Vaiñëavas. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 3.96 Remnants of the spiritual master’s meal may be taken as prasäda: Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was first offered to the Supreme Lord or first eaten by saintly persons, especially the spiritual master. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 17.8-10

When the spiritual master can be rejected When a guru can be rejected: Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé said: O King Parékñit, when Bali Mahäräja was thus advised by his spiritual master, Çukräcärya, his family priest, he remained silent for some time, and then, after full deliberation, he replied to his spiritual master as follows. PURPORT: Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura remarks that Bali Mahäräja remained silent at a criticial point. How could he disobey the instruction of Çukräcärya, his spiritual master? It is the duty of such a sober personality as Bali Mahäräja to abide by the orders of his spiritual master immediately, as his spiritual master had advised. But Bali Mahäräja also considered that Çukräcärya was no longer to be accepted as a spiritual master, for he had deviated from the duty of a spiritual master. According to çästra, the duty of the guru is to take the disciple back home, back to Godhead. If he is unable to do so and instead hinders the disciple in going back to Godhead, he should not be a guru. Gurur na sa syät (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.18). One should not become a guru if he cannot enable his disciple to advance in Kåñëa consciousness. The goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord Kåñëa so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence (tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti so ‘rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). The spiritual master helps the disciple attain this stage by developing Kåñëa consciousness. Now Çukräcärya had advised Bali Mahäräja to deny the promise to Vämanadeva. Under the circumstances, therefore, Bali Mahäräja thought that there would be no fault if he disobeyed the order of his spiritual master. He deliberated on this point-should he refuse to accept the advice of his spiritual master, or should he immediately do everything to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He took some time. Therefore it is said, tüñëéà bhütvä kñaëaà räjann uväcävahito gurum. After deliberating on this point, he decided that Lord Viñëu should be pleased in all circumstances, even at the risk of ignoring the guru’s advice to the contrary. Anyone who is supposed to be a guru but who goes against the principle of viñëu-bhakti cannot be accepted as a guru. If one has falsely accepted such a guru, one should reject him.... Çréla Jéva Gosvämé has advised that such a useless guru, a family priest acting as a guru, should be given up, and that the proper, bona fide guru should be accepted. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.20.1 A spiritual master can be rejected if unworthy of the position: Arjuna arrested Açvatthämä knowing perfectly well that he was the son of Droëäcärya. Kåñëa also knew him to be so, but both of them condemned the murderer without consideration of his being the son of a brähmaëa. According to revealed scriptures, a teacher or spiritual master is liable to be rejected if he proves himself unworthy of the position of a guru or spiritual master. A guru is called also an äcärya, or a person who has personally assimilated all the essence of çästras and has helped his disciples to adopt the ways. Açvatthämä failed to discharge the duties of a brähmaëa or teacher, and therefore he was liable to be rejected from the exalted position of a brähmaëa. On this consideration, both Lord Çré 123

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Kåñëa and Arjuna were right in condemning Açvatthämä. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.7.43 A fallen teacher is fit to be abandoned: According to scriptural codes, a teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned. Bhagavad-gétä As It Is 1.5

False spiritual masters The conditioned soul can get no benefit, material or spiritual, from a false guru: Sometimes, to mitigate distresses in this forest of the material world, the conditioned soul receives cheap blessings from atheists. He then loses all intelligence in their association. This is exactly like jumping in a shallow river. As a result one simply breaks his head. He is not able to mitigate his sufferings from the heat, and in both ways he suffers. The misguided conditioned soul also approaches so-called sädhus and svämés who preach against the principles of the Vedas. He does not receive benefit from them, either in the present or in the future. PURPORT: Cheaters are always there to manufacture their own way of spiritual realization. To get some material benefit, the conditioned soul approaches these pseudo sannyäsés and yogés for cheap blessings, but he does not receive any benefit from them, either spiritual or material. In this age there are many cheaters who show some jugglery and magic. They even create gold to amaze their followers, and their followers accept them as God. This type of cheating is very prominent in Kali-yuga.... One should approach a guru who can extinguish the blazing fire of this material world, the struggle for existence. People want to be cheated, and therefore they go to yogés and svämés who play tricks, but tricks do not mitigate the miseries of material life.... One cannot become happy by accepting a false guru. A guru should be accepted as advised in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.3.21). Tasmäd guruà prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam: One should approach a bona fide guru to inquire about the highest benefit of life. Such a guru is described as follows: çäbde pare ca niñëätam. Such a guru does not manufacture gold or juggle words. He is well versed in the conclusions of Vedic knowledge (vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù [Bg. 15.15]). He is freed from all material contamination and is fully engaged in Kåñëa’s service. If one is able to obtain the dust of the lotus feet of such a guru, his life becomes successful. Otherwise he is baffled both in this life and in the next. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.14.13 Because people want to be cheated, they get a cheater guru: Reporter: What frankly worries me is that since the arrival in Britain some time ago of an Indian yogé, who was the first “guru” that most people had ever heard of, a lot of “gurus” have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Sometimes I get the feeling that not all of them are as genuine as they ought to be. Would it be right to warn people who are thinking of taking up spiritual life that they should make sure that they have a genuine guru to teach them? Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes. Of course, to search out a guru is very nice, but if you want a cheap guru, or if you want to be cheated, then you will find many cheating gurus. But if you are sincere, you will find a sincere guru. Because people want everything very cheaply, they are cheated. We ask our students to refrain from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication. People think that this is all very difficult-a botheration. But if someone else says, “You may do whatever nonsense you like, simply take my mantra,” then people will like him. The point is that people want to be cheated, and therefore cheaters come. No one wants to undergo any austerity. Human life is meant for austerity, but no one is prepared to undergo austerity. Consequently, cheaters come and say, “No austerity. Whatever you like, you do. Simply pay me, and I’ll give you some mantra, and you’ll become God in six months.” All this is going on. If you want to be cheated like this, the cheater will come. 124

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Reporter: What about the person who seriously wants to find spiritual life but who happens to finish up with the wrong guru? Çréla Prabhupada: If you simply want an ordinary education, you have to devote so much time, labor, and understanding to it. Similarly, if you are going to take to spiritual life, you must become serious. How is it that simply by some wonderful mantras, someone can become God in six months? Why do people want something like that? This means that they want to be cheated. Reporter: I wondered how many people you think might have been taken in by fake gurus. Çréla Prabhupäda: Practically everyone. [laughter.] There is no question of counting. Everyone. Reporter: This would mean thousands of people, wouldn’t it? Çréla Prabhupäda: Millions. Millions have been cheated, because they want to be cheated. God is omniscient. He can understand your desires. He is within your heart, and if you want to be cheated, God sends you a cheater. Reporter: When you say that lots of people want to be cheated, do you mean that lots of people want to carry on with their worldly pleasures and at the same time, by chanting a mantra or by holding a flower, achieve spiritual life as well? Is this what you mean by wanting to be cheated? Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, this is like a patient thinking, “I shall continue with my disease, and at the same time I shall become healthy.” It is contradictory. The first requirement is that one become educated in spiritual life. Spiritual life is not something one can understand by a few minutes’ talk. There are many philosophy and theology books, but people are not interested in them. That is the difficulty. For instance, the Çrémad-Bhägavatam is a very long work, and if you try to read this book, it may take many days just to understand one line of it. The Bhägavatam describes God, the Absolute Truth, but people are not interested. And if, by chance, someone becomes a little interested in spiritual life, he wants something immediate and cheap. Therefore, he is cheated. Actually, human life is meant for austerity and penance.... Spiritual life means voluntarily accepting some austerities for the sake of God realization. That is why we insist on no illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, or intoxication for our initiated students. Without these restrictions, any “yoga meditation” or so-called spiritual discipline cannot be genuine. It is simply a business deal between the cheaters and the cheated. The Science of Self-Realization Accepting an unqualified spiritual master to control is useless for spiritual realization: Sometimes pseudo spiritualists accept a spiritual master who is not even fit to become a disciple because they want to keep him under their control. This is useless for spiritual realization. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.72 Blind, conditioned souls, not knowing the goal of life, accept bogus gurus: acakñur andhasya yathägraëéù kåtas tathä janasyäviduño ‘budho guruù As a blind man, being unable to see, accepts another blind man as his leader, people who do not know the goal of life accept someone as a guru who is a rascal and a fool.... PURPORT: The conditioned soul, being wrapped in ignorance and therefore not knowing the goal of life, accepts a guru who can juggle words and make some display of magic that is wonderful to a fool. Sometimes a foolish person accepts someone as a guru because he can manufacture a small quantity of gold by mystic yogic power. Because such a disciple has a poor fund of knowledge, he cannot judge whether the manufacture of gold is the criterion for a guru. Why would one not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, from whom unlimited numbers of gold mines come into being? Ahaà sarvasya prabhavo mattaù sarvaà pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. All the gold mines are created by the energy of 125

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the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, why should one accept a magician who can manufacture only a small portion of gold? Such gurus are accepted by those who are blind, not knowing the goal of life. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.24.50 Bogus spiritual masters are interested only in the material world, and they mislead many blind followers: Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viñëu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries. PURPORT: [Bogus] spiritual masters are not at all interested in Viñëu. Indeed, they are hopeful of material success (bahir-artha-mäninaù). The word bahiù means “external,” artha means “interest,” and mäninaù means “taking very seriously.” Generally speaking, practically everyone is unaware of the spiritual world. The knowledge of the materialists is restricted within the four-billion-mile limit of this material world, which is in the dark portion of the creation; they do not know that beyond the material world is the spiritual world. Unless one is a devotee of the Lord, one cannot understand the existence of the spiritual world. Gurus, teachers, who are simply interested in this material world are described in this verse as andha, blind. Such blind men may lead many other blind followers without true knowledge of material conditions, but they are not accepted by devotees like Prahläda Mahäräja. Such blind teachers, being interested in the external, material world, are always bound by the strong ropes of material nature. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.31 Bogus gurus instruct their disciples in material advancement, and such disciples remain in material existence: A materialistic so-called guru instructs his materialistic disciples about economic development and sense gratification, and because of such instructions the foolish disciples continue in the materialistic existence of ignorance.... PURPORT: So-called gurus instruct their disciples for the sake of material profit. Some guru advises that one meditate in such a way that his intelligence will increase in regard to keeping his body fit for sense gratification. Another guru advises that sex is the ultimate goal of life and that one should therefore engage in sex to the best of his ability. These are the instructions of foolish gurus. In other words, because of the instructions of a foolish guru one remains perpetually in material existence and suffers its tribulations. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.24.51 Many so-called svämés and yogés fall prey to women and thus cannot help others cross the ocean of nescience: Dangerous elements in the universe are compared to sharks in the ocean. Even though one may be a very expert swimmer, he cannot possibly survive if he is attacked by sharks. One often sees that many so-called svämés and yogés sometimes advertise themselves as competent to cross the ocean of nescience and to help others cross, but in actuality they are found to be simply victims of their own senses. Instead of helping their followers to cross the ocean of nescience, such svämés and yogés fall prey to mäyä, represented by the fair sex, woman, and are thus devoured by the sharks in that ocean. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.22.40 126

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A sannyäsé (spiritual master) should not gather disciples through material allurements: A sannyäsé must not present allurements of material benefits to gather many disciples... PURPORT: So-called svämés and yogés generally make disciples by alluring them with material benefits. There are many so-called gurus who attract disciples by promising to cure their diseases or increase their material opulence by manufacturing gold. These are lucrative allurements for unintelligent men. A sannyäsé is prohibited from making disciples through such material allurements. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.13.8 Rascal gurus claim to be God: In the world there are many rascal gurus who give their own opinion, but we can challenge any rascal. A rascal guru may say, “I am God,” or, “We are all God.” That is all right, but we should find out from the dictionary what the meaning of “God” is. Generally, a dictionary will tell us that the word “God” indicates the Supreme Being. Thus we may ask such a guru, “Are you the Supreme Being?” If he cannot understand this, then we should give the meaning of “supreme.” Any dictionary will inform us that supreme means “the greatest authority.” We may then ask, “Are you the greatest authority?” Such a rascal guru, even though proclaiming himself to be God, cannot answer such a question. God is the Supreme Being and the highest authority. No one is equal to Him or greater than Him. Yet there are many gurugods, many rascals who claim to be the Supreme. Such rascals cannot help us escape the darkness of material existence. They cannot illumine our darkness with the torchlight of spiritual knowledge. The Science of Self-Realization False, impersonalist spiritual masters mislead their disciples by posing as Çré Kåñëa: A disciple should always respect the spiritual master as a manifestation of Çré Kåñëa, but at the same time one should always remember that a spiritual master is never authorized to imitate the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. False spiritual masters pose themselves as identical with Çré Kåñëa in every respect to exploit the sentiments of their disciples, but such impersonalists can only mislead their disciples, for their ultimate aim is to become one with the Lord. This is against the principles of the devotional cult. Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 1.46 Bogus, self-made spiritual masters teach that all paths lead to the same goal: It is said that one result is obtained by worshiping the supreme cause of all causes and that another result is obtained by worshiping that which is not supreme. All this was heard from the undisturbed authorities who clearly explained it. PURPORT: Different results are achieved by different modes of worship. If we worship the Supreme Lord, we will certainly reach Him in His eternal abode, and if we worship demigods like the sun-god and moon-god, we can reach their respective planets without a doubt. And if we wish to remain on this wretched planet with our planning commissions and our stop-gap political adjustments, we can certainly do that also. Nowhere in authentic scriptures is it said that one will ultimately reach the same goal by doing anything or worshiping anyone. Such foolish theories are offered by self-made masters who have no connection with the paramparä, the bona fide system of disciplic succession. The bona fide spiritual master cannot say that all paths lead to the same goal and that anyone can attain this goal by his own mode of worship of the demigods or of the Supreme or whatever. For a common man it is very easy to understand that a person can reach his destination only when he has purchased a ticket for that destination. A person who has purchased a ticket for Calcutta can reach Calcutta, but not Bombay. However, temporary so-called masters say that any and all tickets can take one to the supreme goal. Such mundane and compromising offers attract many foolish creatures who become puffed up with their manufactured 127

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methods of spiritual realization. The Vedic instructions, however, do not uphold them. Çré Éçopaniñad Mantra 13 In Kali-yuga, gurus create a disturbance by ignoring the authorized Vedic literatures: çruti-småti-puräëädipaïcarätra-vidhià vinä aikäntiké harer bhaktir utpätäyaiva kalpate “Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniñads, Puräëas and Närada-païcarätra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” (Bhakti-rasämåtasindhu 1.2.101) Those who are very advanced in knowledge and are situated in the mode of goodness follow the Vedic instructions of the çruti and småti and other religious scriptures, including the päïcarätriké-vidhi. Without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this way, one only creates a disturbance. In this age of Kali, so many gurus have sprung up, and because they do not refer to the çruti-småti-puräëädi-päïcarätriké-vidhi [Brs. 1.2.101], they are creating a great disturbance in the world in regard to understanding the Absolute Truth. However, those who follow the päïcarätriké-vidhi under the guidance of a proper spiritual master can understand the Absolute Truth. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.12.10 Pseudoreligionists, lacking both knowledge and detachment, pose as spiritual masters and äcäryas and thus fall into hell: The ignorant pseudoreligionists and the manufacturers of so-called incarnations who directly violate the Vedic injunctions are liable to enter into the darkest region of the universe because they mislead those who follow them.... The pseudoreligionists have neither knowledge nor detachment from material affairs, for most of them want to live in the golden shackles of material bondage under the shadow of altruistic and philanthropic activities and in the guise of religious principles. By a false display of religious sentiments, they present a show of devotional service while indulging in all sorts of immoral activities. In this way they pass as spiritual masters and devotees of God. Such violators of religious principles have no respect for the authoritative äcäryas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. To mislead the people in general, they themselves become so-called äcäryas, but do not even follow the principles of the äcäryas. These rogues are the most dangerous elements in human society. Because there is no religious government, they escape punishment by the law of the state. They cannot, however, escape the law of the Supreme, who has clearly declared in Bhagavad-gétä (16.19-20) that envious demons in the garb of religious propagandists shall be thrown into the darkest regions of hell. Çré Éçopaniñad confirms that these pseudoreligionists are heading toward the most obnoxious place in the universe after the completion of their spiritual master business, which they conduct simply for sense gratification. Çré Éçopaniñad Mantra 12 Even if one temporarily contacts a bogus guru, if he is sincere, Kåñëa will guide him to a genuine guru: Reporter: Have you ever had people come to you who had previously been involved with a fake guru? Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, there are many. Reporter: Were their spiritual lives in any way spoiled by the fake gurus? Çréla Prabhupäda: No, they were genuinely seeking something spiritual, and that was their qualification. God is within everyone’s heart, and as soon as someone genuinely seeks Him, He helps that person find a genuine guru. The Science of Self-Realization 128

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Lord Jesus Christ as spiritual master Jesus Christ as spiritual master: The Çrémad-Bhägavatam states that any bona fide preacher of God consciousness must have the qualities of titikñä (tolerance) and karuëä (compassion). In the character of Lord Jesus Christ we find both these qualities. He was so tolerant that even while he was being crucified, he didn’t condemn anyone. And he was so compassionate that he prayed to God to forgive the very persons who were trying to kill him.... A Vaiñëava is unhappy to see the sufferings of others. Therefore, Lord Jesus Christ agreed to be crucified-to free others from their suffering. But his followers are so unfaithful that they have decided, “Let Christ suffer for us, and we’ll go on committing sin.” They love Christ so much that they think, “My dear Christ, we are very weak. We cannot give up our sinful activities. So you please suffer for us.” Jesus Christ taught, “Thou shalt not kill.” But his followers have now decided, “Let us kill anyway,” and they open big, modern, scientific slaughterhouses. “If there is any sin, Christ will suffer for us.” This is a most abominable conclusion. Christ can take the sufferings for the previous sins of his devotees. But first they have to be sane: “Why should I put Jesus Christ into suffering for my sins? Let me stop my sinful activities.” ... Jesus Christ was such a great personality—the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him—they were so thankless. They could not appreciate his preaching. But we appreciate him and give him all honor as the representative of God. Of course, the message that Christ preached was just according to his particular time, place, and country, and just suited for a particular group of people. But certainly he is the representative of God. Therefore we adore Lord Jesus Christ and offer our obeisances to him. Once, in Melbourne, a group of Christian ministers came to visit me. They asked, “What is your idea of Jesus Christ?” I told them, “He is our guru. He is preaching God consciousness, so he is our spiritual master.” The ministers very much appreciated that. Actually, anyone who is preaching God’s glories must be accepted as a guru. Jesus Christ is one such great personality. We should not think of him as an ordinary human being. The scriptures say that anyone who considers the spiritual master to be an ordinary man has a hellish mentality. If Jesus Christ were an ordinary man, then he could not have delivered God consciousness. The Science of Self-Realization

The physical demise of the spiritual master When the spiritual master leaves his body, the disciple should cry: Being now alone and a widow in that forest, the daughter of Vidarbha began to lament, incessantly shedding tears, which soaked her breasts, and crying very loudly. PURPORT: Figuratively the Queen is supposed to be the disciple of the King; thus when the mortal body of the spiritual master expires, his disciples should cry exactly as the Queen cries when the King leaves his body. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.47 The disciple becomes bereaved when the spiritual master passes away: That most obedient wife thus fell down at the feet of her dead husband and began to cry pitifully in that solitary forest. Thus the tears rolled down from her eyes. PURPORT: Just as a devoted wife becomes afflicted at the passing away of her husband, when a spir129

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itual master passes away, the disciple becomes similarly bereaved. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.49 When the spiritual master departs, the devotee, if he is pure in heart, is immediately guided by the Supersoul: One who is sincere and pure gets an opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramätmä feature sitting within everyone’s heart. The Paramätmä is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. The Lord can reside within the heart, and He can also come out before a person and give him instructions. Thus the spiritual master is not different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart. An uncontaminated soul or living entity can get a chance to meet the Paramätmä face to face. Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramätmä within his heart, he also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him. Then one can take instructions from the Supersoul directly. This is the duty of the pure devotee: to see the bona fide spiritual master and consult with the Supersoul within provided the devotee is purified in heart by following the directions of the spiritual master. A sincere devotee who follows the instructions of the spiritual master certainly gets direct instructions from his heart from the Supersoul. Thus a sincere devotee is always helped directly or indirectly by the spiritual master and the Supersoul. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta: guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja [Cc Mad 19.151]. If the devotee serves his spiritual master sincerely, Kåñëa automatically becomes pleased. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù. By satisfying the spiritual master, one automatically satisfies Kåñëa. Thus the devotee becomes enriched by both the spiritual master and Kåñëa. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.52 After his disappearance, the spiritual master’s body is never burnt to ashes: The spiritual master, or äcärya, is always situated in the spiritual status of life. Birth, death, old age and disease do not affect him. According to the Hari-bhakti-viläsa, therefore, after the disappearance of an äcärya, his body is never burnt to ashes, for it is a spiritual body. The spiritual body is always unaffected by material conditions. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.4.20 The perfect disciples try to relieve the disorder which may follow the äcärya’s disappearance by sincerely following his instructions: Whenever an äcärya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion.... Unfortunately, when the äcärya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles in the name of so-called svämés, yogés, philanthropists, welfare workers and so on.... The äcärya, the authorized representative of the Supreme Lord, establishes these principles, but when he disappears, things once again become disordered. The perfect disciples of the äcärya try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.48

Other instructions Under the guidance of the spiritual master, the whole world can be spiritualized: Utilization of the human energy in the service of the Lord is the progressive path of salvation. The whole cosmic creation becomes at once identical with the Lord as soon as service in relation with the Lord is rendered under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. The expert spiritual master knows the art of utilizing everything to glorify the Lord, and therefore under his guidance the whole world can be turned into the spiritual abode by the divine grace of the Lord’s servant. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.5.23 130

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Thousands of spiritual masters are now needed to spread the science of Kåñëa consciousness throughout the world: There is no bar against anyone; anyone can become a spiritual master provided he knows the science of Kåñëa. This is the only qualification, and this science in essence is contained in Bhagavad-gétä. At the present moment, thousands of spiritual masters are needed to spread this great science throughout the world. ... All living entities, beginning from Brahmä, the highest demigod, down to the lowest ant, have the right to use natural resources. Närada Muni points out that we can use these resources as much as we require, but if we take more than required, we become thieves.... Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord, and we can accept whatever we need, but not more. That is knowledge. By the Lord’s arrangement the world is so made that there is no scarcity of anything.... The perfection of spiritual communism is found in the knowledge that everything belongs to God. By knowing the science of Kåñëa, we can easily cross over the ignorance of false proprietorship. We are actually suffering due to our ignorance. In the law court ignorance is no excuse. If we tell the judge that we are not aware of the law, we will be punished anyway.... The whole world is lacking this knowledge, and therefore thousands of teachers of the science of Kåsëa are needed. There is a great necessity for this knowledge now. Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers The whole jurisdiction of Kåñëa consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy-Kåñëa and the spiritual master: The cultivation of Kåñëa consciousness is not material. The Lord has generally three energies-namely, the external energy, the internal energy, and the marginal energy. The living entities are called marginal energy, and the material cosmic manifestation is the action of the external or material energy. Then there is the spiritual world, which is a manifestation of the internal energy. The living entities, who are called marginal energy, perform material activities when acting under the inferior external energy. And when they engage in activities under the internal spiritual energy, their activities are called Kåñëa conscious. This means that those who are great souls or great devotees do not act under the spell of material energy, but act instead under the protection of the spiritual energy. Any activities done in devotional service or in Kåñëa consciousness are directly under the control of spiritual energy. In other words, energy is a sort of strength, and this strength can be spiritualized by the mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Kåñëa. In the Caitanya-caritämåta, by Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Kåñëa the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master, and then by the grace of the spiritual master one becomes advanced in Kåñëa consciousness. In this way the whole jurisdiction of Kåñëa consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy-Kåñëa and the spiritual master. This has nothing to do with the material world. The Nectar of Devotion Devotional service performed under the direction of the spiritual master and the çästra, and devotional service to Kåñëa in the spiritual world, are the same, although one is unripe and the other ripe: Devotional service in the association of devotees is the cause of the development of further devotional service. By devotional service only is one elevated to the transcendental planet Goloka Våndävana, and there also there is only devotional service, for the activities of devotional service both in this world and in the spiritual world are one and the same. Devotional service does not change. The example of a mango can be given here. If one gets an unripe mango, it is still a mango, and when it is ripe it remains the same mango, but it becomes more tasteful and relishable. Similarly, there is devotional service performed according to the direction of the spiritual master and the injunctions and regulative principles of çästra, and there is devotional service in the spiritual world rendered directly in association with the 131

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Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they are both the same. There is no change. The difference is that one stage is unripe and the other is ripe and more relishable. It is possible to mature in devotional service only in the association of devotees. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.9.11

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